Check against delivery

Statement by the Delegation of Ukraine at the First Committee Thematic Debate under Cluster 4 ‘Conventional Weapons’ (24 October 2024, New York)

Chair,

Ukraine aligns itself with the Statement delivered on behalf of the European Union and its Member States. We would like to make additional remarks in our national capacity.

Ukraine reiterates its support for the existing international instruments in the field of conventional arms control, including the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, UN Programme of Action on SALW and its International Tracing Instrument, the Global Framework for Through-Life Conventional Ammunition Management and other relevant instruments in this field.

At the same time, we remain deeply concerned about the fact that the illicit transfer and misuse of small arms and light (SALW) weapons continue to contribute to violations of international humanitarian law and violations and abuses of international human rights law.

Ukraine recognizes that the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons (SALW) is a global challenge, requiring concerted and effective efforts at the national, regional and global levels.

We recognize the importance of taking counter-diversion measures at all stages of the weapons and ammunition life cycle, along with the effective implementation of international instruments, which are essential in preventing the illicit trade and diversion of weapons and ammunition.

Ukraine welcomes the successful conclusion of the Fourth Review Conference of the UN PoA on SALW in June 2024 and the adoption of its outcome document aimed at strengthening our collective efforts to effectively combat the threat posed related by the illicit trade in these types of weapons.

At the national level, to ensure proper accounting of firearms trafficking on the territory of Ukraine, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the National Police of Ukraine have created the Unified Register of Weapons. 

In response to the Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, we have created transparent mechanisms for monitoring the receipt and use of weapons and ammunition received from international partners as part of military assistance aimed at countering Russian aggression against Ukraine.

In turn, the Parliament of Ukraine has established parliamentary control in this field.

Ukraine is also pleased to state that on 5 July of this year, the Ukrainian Government established the National Coordination Center for Combating Illicit Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts and Components, and Ammunition for Them. 

We are certain that as soon as this Center becomes fully operational, Ukraine’s implementation of mentioned UN and other international instruments in the field of conventional arms control will become even more effective.

Chair,

As of today, we remain gravely concerned over the illicit flows of arms and ammunition in violation of UN arms embargoes.

In this regard, Russia has procured arms and ammunition, as well as other military equipment from the DPRK for further use in its war of aggression against Ukraine. Such transfers have been made in violation of multiple Security Council resolutions.

In March 2024, the Russian Federation dismantled the 1718 Committee Panel of Experts by casting a veto on Security Council resolution on the extension of its mandate. This step confirmed that Moscow considered the Panel as an obstacle to its deepening military and technical cooperation with Pyongyang.

We recall that, in its report following the visit in April 2024 to Kyiv, Ukraine, the Panel confirmed that one of the ballistic missiles that struck Kharkiv on 2 January 2024, was of the DPRK origin.

Chair,

 For more than two years Ukraine has been suffering daily from Russian terrorist attacks with UAVs of Iranian production, which have been delivered to the Russian Federation in violation of UN Security Council resolution 2231 (2015), when relevant restrictions were in place.

In addition, the Islamic Republic of Iran has recently transferred ballistic missiles to the Russian Federation.

We stress that the deepening of military-technical cooperation between Russia and Iran poses serious security threats not only for Ukraine, but for the whole Europe, the Middle East and other regions. 

Ukraine calls on Iran to completely and definitively stop providing weapons to the Russian Federation.

Chair,

As of today, mines and explosive remnants of war continue to pose grave humanitarian risks in affected countries, primarily to the safety, health and lives of populations, including local civilian populations, as well as of personnel participating in humanitarian, peacekeeping, rehabilitation, reconstruction and mine clearance programmes and operations.

We would like to reiterate that, since the start of its war of aggression against Ukraine, the Russian Federation has been indiscriminately using antipersonnel landmines and cluster munitions in violation of norms and principles of International Humanitarian Law aimed at the protection of the civilian population. 

The use of these types of weapons by Russian occupying forces has led to civilian casualties, including among most vulnerable population, namely women and children.

The aggression of the Russian Federation has led to the fact that approximately a quarter of the territory of our country, more precisely an area of about 140,000 square kilometers, is potentially contaminated with mines and unexploded ordnance. 

As of today, Ukraine’s deminers have surveyed and returned 35,000 square kilometers to safe use. 

In 2024, the Government of Ukraine approved the National Mine Action Strategy until 2033. The Operational Plan for its implementation for the next three years was adopted. Ukraine’s main ambitious goal is to have surveyed the vast majority of potentially mined areas by 2033, and to make Ukraine mine-free.

We thank all our partners, international and non-governmental organizations for important assistance provided to Ukraine in humanitarian demining, including the latest aid announcements made during the Ukraine Mine Action Conference, held on 15-16 October 2024 in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Thank you.