Blinken: Russia's military cooperation with Iran, North Korea, China must be stopped
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that, in order to promote peace in Ukraine, it is necessary to stop the attempts of Iran, the DPRK, and China to fuel the Russian war machine, as well as to support Ukraine's peace initiatives.
He said this while addressing the UN Security Council on Tuesday at a meeting dedicated to the situation in Ukraine, Ukrinform's own correspondent reports.
“There are two immediate and interrelated steps that we must take. First, we must address Russia's growing cooperation with North Korea and Iran," the U.S. secretary of state said.
He recalled that Iran supplies UAVs to Russia and built a drone factory in the Russian Federation, and just a few weeks ago handed Russia hundreds of short-range ballistic missiles. Meanwhile, North Korea has delivered to Russia trainloads of weapons and ammunition, including missile launchers and millions of artillery shells, he noted.
"These actions by Iran, North Korea and Russia have violated Multiple Security Council resolutions, resolutions that Russia voted for, and as a permanent member has a special responsibility to enforce," the head of the U.S. State Department noted.
Blinken also emphasized that this is not a “one-way street”, explaining that the DPRK, together with Iran, receives help from Russia to circumvent sanctions and further destabilize their regions.
"North Korea and Iran are not the only ones aiding and abetting Russia, China. Another permanent member of this council is the top provider of machine tools, microelectronics and other items that Russia is using to rebuild, to restock, to ramp up its war machine and sustain its brutal aggression,” Blinken continued.
In this regard, he criticized Beijing's calls to stop the supply of weapons to the conflict zone.
"There is a profound difference. Russia is the aggressor. Ukraine the victim. Russia fights for conquest. Ukraine fights for survival. If countries stop supporting Russia, Putin's invasion would soon come to an end. If countries stop supporting Ukraine, Ukraine could soon come to an end," Bilnken emphasized.
In this regard, he emphasized that the second step that the UNSC members can take is to support Ukraine's initiatives toward a just and sustainable peace.
"Ukraine has said multiple times that diplomacy is the only way to end this war, and that it's prepared to engage in negotiations. Putin, on the other hand, has no interest in such a peace," Blinken reminded.
He emphasized that the quickest way to promote peace is simple: "Stop those who are enabling and fueling Putin's aggression and demand a just peace that upholds the principles for the United Nations Charter."
As Ukrinform reported earlier, President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine said during a speech at the UN Security Council meeting on Tuesday that Putin has violated so many international norms that he will not stop on his own. According to the president, Russia can only be forced to peace.