US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called for immediate action to counter Russia’s growing military cooperation with Iran, North Korea, and China to promote peace in Ukraine, reports Ukrinform.
At a UN Security Council meeting on 24 September, Blinken emphasized two urgent steps: “First, we must respond to Russia’s growing cooperation with North Korea and Iran.”
The Secretary of State highlighted Iran’s supply of drones to Russia and the recent transfer of “hundreds of short-range ballistic missiles.” He also noted North Korea’s shipments of weapons and ammunition to Russia, including rocket launchers and millions of artillery shells.
“These actions by Iran, North Korea, and Russia violate numerous UN Security Council resolutions that Russia voted for and, as a permanent member, bears special responsibility for implementing,” Blinken stated.
The New York Times reported earlier in September that North Korea continues to supply Russia with short-range ballistic missiles in defiance of sanctions. The markings on the Hwasong-11 missile used in the 18 August attack on Kyiv indicated that it was manufactured this year.
While, Reuters reported that Iran has provided Russia with close-range Fath-360 ballistic missiles for potential use in Ukraine.
Addressing China’s role, Blinken said, “China, another permanent member of this Council, is a leading supplier of machine tools, microelectronics, and other goods that Russia uses to replenish, restock, and build up its military machine and sustain its brutal aggression.”
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported on 10 September that Russia and China are expanding their military-technical cooperation, with significant implications for global security.
Blinken criticized Beijing’s calls for ceasing weapons supplies to the conflict zone, saying, “There is a profound difference: Russia is the aggressor, Ukraine is the victim. Russia is fighting to conquer, Ukraine is fighting to survive.”
The Secretary of State urged support for Ukraine’s peace initiatives as the second crucial step.
He concluded by emphasizing that the quickest path to peace is to “Stop those who facilitate and fuel Putin’s aggression, and demand a just peace that upholds the principles of the United Nations Charter.”
The United Nations General Assembly is currently in session in New York, with world leaders gathering to address global issues, including the war in Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy came to the US, aiming to meet with Biden and other top officials. Zelenskyy is expected to address the assembly on 25 September.
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