Remarks at a UN Security Council briefing on threats to international peace and security
Ambassador Robert Wood
Deputy Commissioner for Special Political Affairs
New-York, New-York
March 31, 2023
AS DELIVERED
Thank you Mr President. And I thank the High Representative for her informative and sobering briefing this morning.
It is unfortunate that today’s meeting was necessary. That President Putin is escalating Russia’s dangerous and destabilizing behavior. Now, by threatening to station nuclear weapons in Belarus, he has once again reminded the world of his disregard for international law, including the UN Charter.
Russia’s claim that this intended use is somehow justified because of the use of armor-piercing ammunition is ridiculous. To state the obvious, armor-piercing ammunition is in no way analogous to tactical nuclear weapons.
Putting the Kremlin’s announcement in the context of Russia’s overall behavior makes it clear that this announcement has nothing to do with any type of ammunition. One that, by the way, has been in use for decades – and that Russia itself owns. Rather, it has everything to do with the Kremlin’s attempts to limit and deter international security assistance to defend Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.
The fact is, the Kremlin doesn’t want Ukraine to have the ability to defend itself against Russia’s tanks. But let’s remember one simple, unchanging fact – Russia’s tanks would not come into contact with this armor-piercing ammunition if Russia’s tanks were not located within the territory of Ukraine in the first place.
There would be no need to provide Ukraine with defense weapons and equipment if Russia had not launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. And now, through totally irresponsible rhetoric and continued disinformation, Russia is trying to escalate its unprovoked and brutal war against Ukraine, rather than seeking peace.
President Putin’s March 25 announcement of intentions to transfer nuclear weapons deployments to Belarus is not about nuclear burden-sharing. There are no credible defense-related reasons for Russia to station nuclear weapons in Belarus.
Lukashenko continues to provide material and logistical support to the Russian military and has been parroting Russia’s irresponsible and false narrative of provocation for months. The Lukashenko regime paved the way for Putin’s March 25 decision by enacting a series of constitutional amendments in February 2022 – against the wishes of most Belarusians – to allow Russia’s stationing of nuclear weapons in Belarus.
In fact, Russia seems willing to break its promises whenever it serves President Putin’s interests.
Less than two weeks ago, President Putin pledged to effectively reduce the risk of nuclear war in a joint statement with China. And cynically declared that “nuclear-weapon states should refrain from stationing nuclear weapons abroad and withdraw nuclear weapons stationed abroad.”
Putin’s continued disregard of his promises to his friends regarding Russia’s international commitments and commitments, and his willingness to sacrifice strategic stability to achieve his goals in Ukraine, jeopardizes this council’s agenda for maintaining international peace and security.
It was Russia’s decisions that led to the termination of the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces Treaty in 2019. With its all-out invasion of Ukraine, Russia has further violated its obligations under the 1994 Budapest Memorandum.
Last year, it was only Russia and only Russia that decided to block consensus on a final document at the NPT Review Conference.
Since then, Russia has deviated even further from implementing its arms control obligations with its alleged suspension of participation in the 2010 New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, New START.
Not only was this legally invalid, but it also demonstrates an increasingly troubling trend that Russia is relying on nuclear weapons and provocative nuclear rhetoric to intimidate those willing to help Ukraine provide its legitimate self-defense.
The Kremlin is trying to manipulate the specter of a nuclear conflict to win its illegal war against Ukraine while continuing to trample on the UN charter.
In light of these violations, it is unfortunate that some members of this council have adopted a policy of ignoring Russia’s aggression against the Ukrainian people, refusing to recognize Russia’s dangerous actions, or condemning its violation of the principles of the UN Charter. Those who have chosen this path are allowing further violations by Russia, exacerbating the conflict and taking us all further from peace by turning a blind eye to the cause of this conflict, which is Russia’s armed invasion of Ukraine.
No legitimate path to peace can arise from a refusal to face the facts.
No other country is doing such harm to arms control, nor is it trying to undermine strategic stability in Europe. No other country has raised the prospect of a possible nuclear deployment in connection with the war in Ukraine.
No other country is increasing nuclear use in Europe or making implicit threats of use.
No country threatens Russia or President Putin. He should never have started Putin’s war against Ukraine. And one that the Kremlin could end in a moment if it chooses. That she consciously chose not to do so is telling – as are the actions of those who would criticize Ukraine for defending her sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence.
Given the international community’s overwhelming support for peace, as demonstrated by last month’s General Assembly vote on a just and lasting peace, we call on Russia to reconsider its intentions to transfer nuclear weapons to Belarus, and we call on Russia again to do so to do is withdrawing his troops from Ukraine.
Russia should immediately stop the escalating rhetoric about the possible use of nuclear weapons.
Any use of chemical, biological or nuclear weapons in Ukraine would have serious consequences for maintaining international peace and security and would fundamentally change the nature of this war. And any use of nuclear weapons would break the nearly 80-year record of non-use of such weapons.
We also call on the Lukashenka regime to end its complicity in Russia’s war against Ukraine.
And we call on Russia again to de-escalate, beginning with the cessation of its war of aggression against Ukraine.
Thank you Mr President.
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