Russia's war of aggression remains a major concern for every State Party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons
Joint Statement at the Tenth Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons
Delivered by Ambassador Yann Hwang, Permanent Representative of France to the Conference for Disarmament
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The ongoing war of aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine remains a major concern for every State Party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).
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We, Albania, Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Chad, Cyprus, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Marshall Islands, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Myanmar, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Niger, North Macedonia, Norway, Palau, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye, the United Kingdom, the United States of American, Ukraine and the European Union reaffirm our unwavering support to the legitimate and sovereign Ukrainian authorities, as well as to Ukraine’s independence and territorial integrity, within its internationally recognized borders.
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We reiterate our strongest condemnation of the ongoing unprovoked and unjustifiable war of aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine. This constitutes a gross violation of international law, including the United Nations Charter.
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We reaffirm our commitment to the NPT as the cornerstone of the nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation regime and an essential foundation for the pursuit of nuclear disarmament, nuclear non-proliferation and the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.
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We deplore the Russian Federation’s dangerous nuclear rhetoric, actions and provocative statements about raising its nuclear alert levels, which are inconsistent with the recent P5 Leaders Joint Statement on Preventing Nuclear War and Avoiding Arms Races.
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We are deeply concerned that the Russian Federation, a Nuclear-Weapon State, is undermining international peace, security and stability, the international non-proliferation architecture and the integrity and objectives of the NPT by waging its illegal war of aggression against Ukraine. We condemn the Russian Federation’s actions, which are in complete disregard of its international obligations and commitments and a betrayal of the security assurances that the Russian Federation provided to Ukraine under the Budapest Memorandum of 1994 in connection with Ukraine’s accession to the NPT, as a Non-Nuclear Weapon State.
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We condemn the abhorrent actions of the Russian Federation, which have had the effect of depriving Ukraine of control over Ukrainian nuclear facilities and disrupting its exercise of its inalienable right to develop research, production and use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.
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We remain profoundly concerned by the serious threat that the seizure of Ukrainian nuclear facilities and other actions by Russian armed forces pose to the safety and security of these facilities, significantly raising the risk of a nuclear accident or incident and endangering the population of Ukraine, neighbouring states and the international community. These actions also undermine the IAEA’s ability to implement its important safeguards mission in Ukraine and to continue to verify the peaceful nature of Ukraine’s nuclear activities.
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We recognize and praise the heroic efforts of the Ukrainian staff at Ukrainian nuclear facilities, particularly at Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) and Chornobyl, who continue to work tirelessly to ensure nuclear safety in Ukraine, despite working under immense pressure in the context of the Russian Federation’s aggression against Ukraine.
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We condemn the interference of the representatives of the Russian Federation in the ZNPP’s operations and efforts to extend the Russian Federation’s control over the plant. We demand that Russia immediately withdraw its armed forces from Ukraine and hand back full control of ZNPP as well as of all nuclear facilities within Ukraine’s internationally recognized borders to the proper Ukrainian authorities in order to ensure their safe and secure operations. Ukraine operated these facilities safely, securely, and peacefully for decades. Ukrainian operators and regulatory inspectors at ZNPP must have full access and must be able to carry out their duties without intimidation, threats or pressure.
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We welcome and support the Government of Ukraine’s and the IAEA’s efforts to strengthen nuclear safety and security in Ukraine, and we thank the IAEA for its steadfast commitment in this regard. We underline the importance of facilitating a mission of IAEA experts to ZNPP to address nuclear safety, security and safeguards concerns, in a manner that respects full Ukrainian sovereignty over its territory and infrastructure. We strongly endorse the importance of the IAEA Director General’s “Seven Indispensable Pillars of Nuclear Safety and Security” derived from the IAEA’s nuclear safety standards and nuclear security guidance. We encourage all NPT States parties to support the IAEA’s efforts.
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We reiterate our call on the Russian Federation to end its brutal and premeditated war of aggression, and to withdraw immediately, completely, and unconditionally its armed forces and equipment from the territory of Ukraine, within its internationally recognized borders.
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We also condemn Belarus for its complicity in the Russian aggression against Ukraine. 14.We remain steadfast in our solidarity with Ukraine and reaffirm our unwavering commitment to supporting the government and people of Ukraine in their courageous defense of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and in their fight for a peaceful and prosperous future.