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Statement by the Republic of Lithuania at the General Debate of the United Nations General Assembly First Committee 78th Session on Thursday, 5 October 2023.

Mr. Chairman,

Lithuania fully aligns itself with the statement by the European Union. In our national capacity, I would like to stress the following.

We continue to witness the permanent member of the Security Council, Russia, brutally and openly violating international peace and security, and the rules-based global order. We condemn in the strongest possible terms Russia’s deliberate and unprovoked war against Ukraine and demand that Russia immediately and unconditionally ceases its military actions and withdraws all its troops from the entire territory of Ukraine.

The UN member states must refrain from aiding the aggressor. We condemn Belarus for its support to the Russian aggression against Ukraine and reiterate our call on Belarusian authorities to stop enabling the Russian aggression, and to abide by its international obligations. In violation of UN Security Council Resolution 2231, Iranian drones are being used by Russia against Ukraine. We are also concerned by the announced readiness of the DPRK to provide munitions to fuel Russia’s war in Ukraine in return for the advanced weapons technologies.

Mr. Chairman,

While we conduct our meeting at this Committee, most recent Russian attack in Hroza, Ukraine, today just killed 51 innocent civilians. As UN Representative stated the deliberate targeting of civilians is a war crime. We condemn the war crime committed by Russia. The perpetrators of these crimes will have to be held accountable.

Russia’s attacks on critical civilian infrastructure, including on ports and grain warehouses, on energy supply facilities, the destruction of the Nova Kakhovka dam, as well as attacks on cultural sites are devastating. All of this constitutes the violation of international humanitarian law. Let me remind you that by withdrawing from the UN-brokered Black Sea Grain Initiative and blocking export of Ukrainian grain, it is Russia that has subjected people of many nations to food insecurity.

It will require decades to address the consequences of this war. Huge parts of Ukraine’s territory will remain covered in mines and other unexploded ordnance for many years to come.

People of Ukraine suffer all the horrors of Russia’s war the most, but we all witness that this war also has its global consequences.

Apart from grain crisis that I have just touched upon, global security is threatened by Russia’s irresponsible and dangerous nuclear rhetoric, even blackmailing, which is gaining real shapes and forms in announced deployment of Russia’s nuclear weapons in Belarus and in their actions putting Ukraine’s nuclear energy facilities in jeopardy.

Russia’s announced deployment of nuclear weapons in Belarus contradicts the international obligations by Belarus under NPT as a non-nuclear state.

The occupation and unlawful seizure of the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant by the Russian military forces remain alarming. Russia continues to fully compromise the IAEA’s seven indispensable pillars in violation of its international obligations and commitments. The only sustainable solution in this situation is the unconditional withdrawal of all Russian armed forces and military equipment from the entire territory of Ukraine.

Mr. Chairman,

The global architecture of arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation continues to be subjected to severe pressures. Since summer of 2022, due to positions held by Russia, three major Review Conferences had been prevented from achieving a full-fledged outcome document.

We continue to strongly support the NPT as the cornerstone of the global disarmament and non-proliferation regime. Our ultimate goal remains achieving a world without nuclear weapons by implementing all elements of the NPT, including Article VI, building on the principles of effectiveness, verification and undiminished security for all.

Suspending its participation in the New START represents one more example of an overall trend of Russia’s increasing reliance on nuclear weapons. We call on Russia to return to full implementation of the New START.

Lithuania remains convinced that future arms control arrangements should include all types of nuclear weapons. We also welcome the transparency efforts by some nuclear weapon states to report on their nuclear weapons stockpile. In this regard, we call on China to demonstrate responsibility and join nuclear arms control talks.

We remain strong supporters of the Biological Weapons Convention as well as the Chemical Weapons Convention, and the professional work of the OPCW.

As part of its aggression against Ukraine, Russia has also engaged in a campaign of disinformation in spreading unsubstantiated and unfounded allegations against Ukraine and other countries regarding biological and chemical weapons, while exposing the Ukrainian population to toxic chemicals through their deliberate attacks against civilian industrial facilities. Given Russia’s track record of chemical weapons use, there has long been concern that it could choose to use chemical weapons in its war against Ukraine.

Lithuania strongly supports the UN Secretary-General’s Mechanism for Investigation of Alleged Use of Chemical and Biological Weapons.

Mr. Chairman,

The hope of mutual return to full implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) is further fading away. Iran continues to develop its nuclear programme, which increases proliferation risks in the region and beyond. Iran fails to cooperate with International Atomic Energy Agency and meanwhile expands its nuclear activities, including by installing additional enrichment capacity, deploying advanced centrifuges, and accumulating enriched uranium exceeding JCPOA limits. 

For a long time already, we have concerns over development of nuclear weapons, other weapons of mass destruction, and ballistic missile programs by DPRK. Last year, in violation of the UN Security Council resolutions, the DPRK launched different types of ballistic and cruise missiles in unprecedented numbers, including attempted satellite launches using ballistic missile technology. We strongly support international efforts towards full denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. We call on the DPRK to cease all destabilising actions, abide by its international obligations under multiple UN Security Council Resolutions and re-engage in a credible and meaningful dialogue with the international community.

The universalisation of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) remains one of our priorities. With signature by 187 States and ratification by 178 States to date, the CTBT is approaching universality. We urge all States that have not yet done so to sign and ratify the Treaty without further delay.

Pending a future Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty (FMCT) in force, we call on all States concerned that have not yet done so to declare and uphold an immediate moratorium on their production of fissile material for use in nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices.

Mr. Chairman,

We wish to reiterate our strong and continuous commitment to arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation, and call on all states to fulfil their obligations and commitments in this field.

Permit me to conclude quoting the words by the President of the Republic of Lithuania, from his recent address to the UN General Assembly: “It is our duty to uphold multilateralism and defend the rules-based international order from Russia’s relentless war of destruction“.

Thank you.