Check against delivery
Statement by the Delegation of Ukraine at the UNGA High-level plenary meeting to commemorate and promote the International Day Against Nuclear Tests
(New York, 4 September 2024)
Mr. President,
Ukraine aligns itself with the statement delivered by the European Union. We would also like to make additional remarks in our national capacity.
On 2 December 2009, the United Nations General Assembly adopted resolution 64/35, by which declared 29 August the International Day against Nuclear Tests.
It is worth recalling that this exact date was chosen to commemorate the closure of the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test site in Kazakhstan on 29 August 1991. We also take this opportunity to remind that from 1945 to this date, over 2000 nuclear tests were carried out around the world.
This High-Level Meeting provides an opportunity to raise awareness on the devastating effects of the use of nuclear weapons and testing on the environment and human life.
Ukraine believes that the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) is one of the key legal elements of the global security architecture in the field of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation and serves as an essential instrument to establish a global standard against nuclear testing.
The CTBT’s global verification regime is unique and crucial for monitoring compliance with the provisions of the Treaty.
In this regard, we are grateful for the support and assistance that Ukraine receives from the CTBTO Preparatory Commission to ensure the stable operation of the National Data Centre of Ukraine and the PS 45 Primary Seismic Station.
Mr. President,
We believe that there is an urgent need for the immediate entry into force of the CTBT. This has become even more evident in the context of the full-scale Russian Federation’s invasion of Ukraine, which threatens the security not only of Europe but of the entire world. Ukraine calls on all countries that have not yet ratified the Treaty to do so as soon as possible. We also call for intensification of efforts to strengthen the CTBTO monitoring regime and its comprehensive development.
This decision is part of a chain of events that have been taking place in Russia in recent years. The R.F. has already provoked a dangerous misbalance in the global architecture of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation with its nuclear blackmail, decisions to suspend participation in the New START Treaty and the deployment of the Russian tactical nuclear weapons on the territory of Belarus.
Against this background, Ukraine reconfirms its support of the dedicated efforts by the Executive Secretary of the CTBT Preparatory Commission Mr. Floyd on the way to universalization and entry into force of the Treaty.
Mr. President
Ukraine strongly condemns the series of ballistic and intercontinental ballistic missile launches conducted by the DPRK in blatant violation of relevant Security Council’s resolutions. In this regard, we call on Pyongyang to refrain from conducting any ballistic missile tests, fully implement and respect all UN Security Council resolutions related to its weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and ballistic missile programmes, immediately return to compliance with the NPT, and the IAEA Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement, including by signing and ratifying the Additional Protocol thereto, as well as the CTBT.
We are convinced that any nuclear test or other reckless action must be met with a swift, united, and robust international response.
In conclusion, Mr. President, we reaffirm our commitment to continue consistent advocacy for abandoning nuclear threats, adhering to existing bans on testing nuclear weapons explosions. We will spare no effort to promote further development of an international monitoring system that can detect a nuclear test explosion anytime and anywhere.
Thank you, Mr. President.