Ambassador Jeffrey DeLaurentis
Acting Deputy Representative to the United Nations
New York, New York
July 11, 2023
AS DELIVERED
Thank you, Mr. President.
As others have noted, this is the third time in less than a month that Russia has called for the Council to discuss Nord Stream. Russia’s efforts to try to use this Council as a platform for its disinformation are as cynical as they are transparent. Bludgeoning the Council with repetitive meetings will not change the facts on the ground.
As we have emphasized many times, we do not condone this attack on critical infrastructure. We remain confident in the ongoing, competent, and credible investigations underway by Germany, Sweden, and Denmark. We thank these countries for their commitment to diligent and impartial investigations into the attack and for their recent letter on this topic to the Council.
Russia’s unabating, unsubstantiated so-called concerns about the transparency and impartiality of these investigations ring as hollow as its assertions that it had no relationship with the Wagner Group and had no plans to invade Ukraine.
The countries directly involved should be permitted to conclude their investigations without undue pressure and specious allegations. Russia cannot and should not be allowed to prejudge or prejudice the results of these investigations prior to their conclusion.
The hypocrisy is on full display. Russia claims to respect sovereignty and territorial integrity while invading its sovereign neighbor and attempting to annex its territory. Russia now disregards the jurisdiction of competent national authorities carrying out and concluding investigations within their exclusive economic zones.
Russia also claims to want an impartial investigation, as long as that investigation upholds Russia’s spurious accusations that the United States was behind the attacks. We again categorically refute any allegations that the United States bears any culpability for these attacks.
As Russia continues its theatrical hand wringing and selective concern regarding the protection of critical infrastructure, it is razing entire cities with relentless attacks against Ukraine. It is importing UAVs from Iran in flagrant violation of UN Security Council 2231, and deploying them in attacks that kill civilians in Ukraine.
Russia’s agenda here is simple. It is to overwhelm this Council with meetings on Nord Stream, undermine ongoing investigations, and distract from its ceaseless attacks against Ukraine’s power stations, hospitals, schools, and apartment buildings.
Ongoing national investigations must be allowed the space to carry out their work. This Council should reject repeated meetings with no purpose other than to waste time, spread disinformation, and distract from the Kremlin’s indefensible war of aggression against Ukraine.
Thank you, Mr. President.
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