Georgia among 48 nations condemning North Korea’s transfer of ballistic missiles to Russia

The European Union, along with 48 other nations, including Georgia, has issued a collective condemnation of North Korea’s transfer of ballistic missiles to Russia amid its conflict with Ukraine, the European External Action Service reported on Tuesday. 

In a joint statement, the signatories strongly condemned the export of ballistic missiles by North Korea and their acquisition by Russia, and specifically denounced Moscow’s use of these missiles against Ukraine on December 30, 2023, and January 2, 2024.

The statement highlighted the detrimental impact of such weapon transfers, emphasizing that they contribute to the suffering of the Ukrainian people, bolster Russia’s aggressive war efforts, and undermine the global non-proliferation regime.

Expressing deep concerns about the security implications of this collaboration, the signatories underscored its potential impact on Europe, the Korean Peninsula, the Indo-Pacific region, and global stability.

The joint declaration called on all United Nations member states, including members of the UN Security Council, to join in condemning the apparent violations of UN Security Council resolutions by both Russia and North Korea. The signatories affirmed their commitment to stand united in supporting Ukraine as it faces missile and drone attacks.

The statement was endorsed by the High Representative of the European Union, the US Secretary of State, and the Ministers of Foreign Affairs from numerous countries, including Albania, Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Palau, Poland, Portugal, Korea Republic, Romania, San Marino, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.