Mr. President,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union and its Member States.

The Candidate Countries North Macedonia*, Montenegro^*, Albania^*, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina^* and Georgia, and the EFTA country Iceland, member of the European Economic Area, as well as Andorra, Monaco and San Marino, align themselves with this statement.

Mr President,

The European Union deeply regrets that the Security Council failed to adopt a resolution on the annual renewal of the mandate of the UN 1718 DPRK Sanctions Committee Panel of Experts.

We strongly condemn the use of the veto by Russia, which blocked a resolution that had wide support with 13 members voting in favour. We note that substantial accommodations had been made to the Russian position during negotiations.

This veto is not only undermining 14 years of credible, fact-based and independent information about the implementation of the sanctions regime. It is directly undermining the global disarmament and non-proliferation architecture.

The objective of the sanctions regime is to curb DPRK’s unlawful nuclear and ballistic missiles programmes, which are in direct violation of numerous Security Council resolutions. The resolutions also serve as an important tool to incentivise the DPRK to return to dialogue in view of finding a peaceful, diplomatic solution leading to stability and security on the Korean peninsula.

The Russian veto regrettably makes it more difficult to achieve these goals by making the implementation of the measures imposed less transparent. This is a threat to international peace and security. Therefore, the veto should be a concern to all UN Member States.

The DPRK is using both long-standing as well as new ways to evade sanctions and procure finance, knowledge and components for its illegal weapons programmes. The reports produced by the Panel of Experts have been vital instruments in presenting an impartial and accurate picture of the situation, thereby supporting the work of the 1718 Committee and assisting all of us in ensuring that the objectives of UN Security Council resolutions are fulfilled.

The fact that Russia now chose to exercise its veto is an effort to conceal illegal arms transfers between the DPRK and Russia, for use in Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine. A war that itself is a manifest violation of international law and the UN Charter. These DPRK-Russia arms transfers constitute a blatant violation of Security Council resolutions - including resolutions 1695 (2006), 1718 (2006), 1874 (2009), and 2270 (2016) – which Russia itself supported. We reiterate our strong call on both Russia and the DPRK to immediately cease such activities.

It is deeply regrettable that the veto will impact the ability of all UN member states to implement UN Security Council resolutions and to address the DPRK’s illegal and destabilising actions, jeopardising peace and security in Northeast Asia and beyond. Russia should be held to account for this deeply irresponsible action which is undermining the work of UN Security Council resolutions as well as multilateralism as a way to promote international peace and security.

Despite the Russian veto, the UN sanctions regime itself will remain in place as will the 1718 Committee that is responsible for its implementation.  The EU will continue to do its utmost to ensure the faithful implementation of sanctions against the DPRK, in close cooperation with the international community.

Thank you.

* North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.