Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has joined about 50 other foreign ministers to condemn North Korea for exporting ballistic missiles to Russia - and to condemn Russia for using the missiles against Ukraine on 30 December and 2 January.
The joint statement, released by the US Department of State, said the transfer of the weapons "increases the suffering of the Ukrainian people, supports Russia's war of aggression, and undermines the global non-proliferation regime".
"We are deeply concerned about the security implications that this cooperation has in Europe, on the Korean Peninsula, across the Indo-Pacific region, and around the world," the statement said.
It also said the transfer of ballistic missiles "flagrantly violates multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions," including a number that Russia itself supported. North Korea has been under an arms embargo since 2006.
Reuters reported the US would raise the arms deal at the UNSC, and demand Russia be held accountable.
The governments are also monitoring what Russia provides to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in return for the weapons exports, and that the use of the missiles provided valuable technical and military insights to the DPRK.
The statement was issue by the foreign affairs ministers of Albania, Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, the Netherlands, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Palau, Poland, Portugal, the Republic of Korea, Romania, San Marino, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, as well as the High Representative of the European Union, and the US Secretary of State.
In a post to X (formerly Twitter), Peters said the supply of weapons was a significant escalation in Russia's war against Ukraine, and undermined peace and security.
Reuters said both Moscow and Pyongyang had drawn closer since the beginning of the Ukraine conflict, though denied making any arms deals.
Last week, the White House said Russia had used short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs) sourced from North Korea to conduct multiple strikes against Ukraine, citing newly declassified intelligence.
A senior Ukrainian official later corroborated the assertion.
- RNZ with reporting from Reuters