United Nations (UN) High Representative for Disarmament Izumi Nakamitsu spoke at the session titled “Threats to International Peace and Security” held at the UN Security Council.
Recalling that Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on March 25 that they would place tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, Nakamitsu said that all member countries should avoid steps that would increase tensions or lead to mistakes.
Nakamitsu underlined that the parties should fulfill the obligations of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), and stated that thanks to these obligations, the use and proliferation of nuclear weapons is prevented.
“We are in the period when the risk of using nuclear weapons is at its highest since the Cold War. The war in Ukraine is the most serious example of this risk,” Nakamitsu said. warned.
Calls on Russia to withdraw from Ukrainian territory
Speaking on behalf of the US Permanent Mission, Ambassador Robert Wood said that Putin’s decision showed that “Russia’s destabilizing and dangerous behavior” had increased, and that it was against international law and the UN Charter.
Arguing that Russia is trying to increase tensions within the framework of the “war with Ukraine”, which has no legitimate ground, Wood reiterated the US call for Russia to withdraw from Ukrainian territory.
Russia’s Permanent Representative to the UN Vassily Nebenzia, on the other hand, argued that the Western world is trying to hold Russia responsible for “all evils” by unjustly accusing it.
Defending that his country does not threaten peace and security, Nebenzia said that they have increased their cooperation with Belarus without violating any obligations.
Ukraine’s Permanent Representative to the UN Sergiy Kyslytsya argued that Russia is ready to overturn the entire architecture of nuclear disarmament.
Kyslytsya said Russia is ready to plunge the world into “nuclear apocalypse” instead of fulfilling its obligations under the UN Charter and international law.
Russia’s decision to place tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus
Russian President Vladimir Putin stated on March 25 that they will place tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, “We will do this without violating our international obligations on non-proliferation.” had used the phrase.
NATO and the European Union (EU) stated that they found this decision of Russia “irresponsible”.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine also requested an extraordinary meeting of the UN Security Council.