Colleagues, when we speak about the security situation in Ukraine, we need to be clear, this affects us all.
Russia’s invasion is a violation of the international rules-based system and the UN Charter upon which our collective prosperity and security depends. Russia has struck at the heart of the UN Charter, which this Council has pledged to uphold.
This has consequences for every country, wherever they are in the world.
It is with deep concern, therefore, that I draw to this Council’s attention reports of DPRK’s growing involvement in the war. It is highly likely that the DPRK has agreed to send combat troops in support of Russia’s war against Ukraine.
It seems that the harder Putin finds it to recruit Russians to be cannon fodder, the more willing he is to rely on DPRK in his illegal war.
This is the latest development in an ever-deepening military relationship between Russia and the DPRK, which has implications for regional and international security.
Already Russia was procuring weaponry from DPRK to inflict suffering on the Ukrainian people, in violation of UNSCRs that Russia itself voted for. And now with this recent development, we can be certain that the DPRK leadership will ask a high price from Russia in return.
I also draw the Council’s attention to Russia’s recent strikes upon commercial grain ships in the Black Sea and civilian port infrastructure. Whether deliberate or incompetent, these actions demonstrate once again Russia’s utter disregard for international law and global food security.
Thanks to Ukraine’s success in pushing back the Russian Black Sea Fleet, it has resumed grain exports to destinations all over the world, from Türkiye to Egypt to China. But Russia’s actions pose a serious risk to grain prices and the willingness of commercial shipping companies to operate in the Black Sea. These attacks must cease immediately.
Make no mistake: Russia is the sole cause of this war and its devastating human and global consequences.
Putin could end the war tomorrow if he chose.
No one wants peace more than Ukraine.But for peace to be sustainable, it must have respect for the UN Charter at its core. There can be no false equivalence between aggressor and victim. Russia has no legitimate interests when it comes to Ukraine.
If Putin thinks he can weaken our resolve through his illegal and destabilising actions, he is wrong. The UK’s commitment to support Ukraine to defend itself against Russian aggression, and to achieve a just and lasting peace, is ironclad. We call upon Russia to immediately cease its unprovoked illegal war and withdraw its forces unconditionally from all of Ukraine.