America's State Department unveiled the joint declaration by 48 Western nations and the European Union on Tuesday.
The document reads: "Our governments stand together in resolute opposition to arms transfers between the DPRK [Demoncratic People's Republic of Korea, North Korea's official name] and Russia."
Western countries added: "The transfer of ballistic missiles, along with any other arms and related materiel, from the DPRK to Russia flagrantly violates multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions."
The declaration stressed: "We condemn in the strongest possible terms the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s (DPRK) export and Russia’s procurement of DPRK ballistic missiles, as well as Russia’s use of these missiles against Ukraine on December 30, 2023, and January 2, 2024."
The joint statement was signed by the Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, as well as the top diplomats 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 and the United Kingdom, andthe High Representative of the European Union.
Russia's missile attack on Ukraine overnight into January 2 killed five people and injured 130, The Kyiv Independent website noted.
White House national security spokesman John Kirby said the US would raise the arms deals between Russia and North Korea at the UNSC on Wednesday and demand that "Russia be held accountable," the Reuters news agency reported.
UNSC resolutions, adopted with Russia's support, prohibit countries from trading weapons with North Korea, ever since Pyongyang first tested a nuclear bomb in 2006, Reuters noted.
Wednesday is day 686 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, launching the largest military campaign in Europe since World War II.
Source: US State Department, Reuters, The Kyiv Independent
