As delivered

 

Statement by the Delegation of Ukraine 

at the Arria-formula meeting “Commercial Spyware and the Maintenance of International Peace and Security” 

(14 January 2025, New York)

 

Madam Chair,

Ukraine is grateful to the United States and other co-sponsors for convening this timely Arria-formula meeting on “Commercial Spyware and the Maintenance of International Peace and Security”. We also extend our appreciation to all briefers for their remarks.

The ever-growing commercial market of commercially available cyber intrusion capabilities raises serious concerns over its impact on national security, human rights and fundamental freedoms, international peace and security, as well as a free, open, peaceful, stable, and secure cyberspace.

In this regard, we are alarmed by the increasing number of cases of misuse of spyware aimed at monitoring, intimidating, and discrediting journalists, human rights defenders, and political opponents.

There have been also credible reports on the use of commercial spyware against individuals in areas and conflicts with peacekeeping missions authorized by the UN Security Council.

Notwithstanding claims by developers of such products that they are intended for governmental use, the spyware market has facilitated the proliferation of these tools, transforming them into instruments of mass surveillance.

Madam Chair,

Since 24 February 2022, when Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, our State has been facing the persistent cyber-attacks alongside conventional warfare.

Russian hackers employ nearly the entire spectrum of tools, including cyber espionage, to inflict damage on Ukraine's cybersecurity system.

Ukraine stresses the importance for all States to conduct their activities in cyberspace in a legal and responsible manner, in line with the framework for responsible state behaviour in cyberspace. Any State acting in a manner inconsistent with international law which is applicable in cyberspace should be held accountable.

We advocate for the implementation of strict regulations governing the export and use of spyware, limiting its application exclusively to combating crimes such as terrorism, and only under the supervision of independent judicial authorities.

Ukraine cannot but welcome various initiatives launched at the regional and global levels to address the risks posed by the proliferation and misuse of commercial spyware, such as the Pall Mall Process initiative and Joint Statement on Efforts to Counter the Proliferation and Misuse of Commercial Spyware.

To conclude, Ukraine calls on the international community to unite in creating global standards for controlling the proliferation of spyware technologies, fostering information-sharing, and implementing effective oversight.

Thank you, Madam Chair.