Position paper for Ukraine
| Committee: | GA First |
| Topic: | Reducing space threats through norms, rules and principles of responsible behaviours |
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| Ukraine has a long history in sponsoring and promoting resolutions to reduce threats in space, including but not limited to weapons of mass destruction, space debris, and arms of all forms. From our nation’s participation in the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) since 1994, to co-sponsoring proposals A/RES/76/231 and A/RES/78/20, each entitled “Reducing space threats through norms, rules and principles of responsible behaviours” in 2021 and 2023, respectively, Ukraine has demonstrated a consistent dedication to the cause of increased regulations and norms promoting international safety from space-bound threats. It is important to acknowledge and state Ukraine’s appreciation this body and the entire international community in their efforts to preserve the upper atmosphere and beyond as a peaceful domain for cooperation. These efforts have been key in promoting transparency between nations, building confidence among the global public, and allowing members of the United Nations to share in accountability towards one another and the Earth itself. The tangible steps taken towards preserving space as such (for instance, the reduction of debris-generating activities) have been an absolutely appropriate start, but there is still much work to be done. Safety and security in and from threats in space are not far-off or hypothetical concerns, but are instead standing on our front step, pounding on our door. Space has become weaponized, and the continued testing of destructive, anti-satellite military technologies are not only immediate, but growing threats to international safety. These activities and arms jeopardize the development of communication, navigation, and disaster-response systems which are routed through satellites in sub- and near-space. For this reason, the delegation of Ukraine calls upon all member states to treat this matter with the same urgency as would be devoted to any terrestrial matter of international security. It is the responsibility and duty of this assembly to organize, promote and sponsor collaboration between nations and non-state actors to ensure the continued safety and tranquility of space. Ukraine would take this opportunity to call upon the delegations assembled here today to reaffirm their dedication to the reduction of threats in space through shared accountability and responsible behavior. We the delegation of Ukraine seek a unilateral approach which upholds and protects the spirit of the Treaty on Principals Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space (the Outer Space Treaty) to ensure safe global development, while enshrining the principles of security, sustainability and collaboration. | |
| Committee: | GA First |
| Topic: | The illicit trade in small arms and light weapons in all its aspects |
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| The illicit trade and diversion of small arms and light weapons poses a direct and immediate threat to and a grave concern for Ukraine. The ongoing conflict Ukraine finds itself in has intensified criminal trade of these small arms and humanitarian harm. For the delegation of Ukraine, addressing this issue is not only a matter of national defense, but an essential paving stone en route to achieving this body’s Sustainable Development Goal 16 on peace, justice and strong institutions. Should the proliferation of these arms remain unchecked, disarmament efforts will continue to be undermined, violence will continue to be fueled, and regional stability throughout Eastern Europe and beyond will continue to be threatened. Ukraine continues in its staunch advocacy for the international framework developed to combat the illicit trade of arms in all capacities, particularly that expressed in the 2001 Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects (PoA) and the 2005 International Tracing Instrument (ITI). Ukraine reaffirms its commitment to General Assembly resolution A/RES/79/40 (2024) and urges the assembled nations to strengthen interstate cooperation and implement PoA and ITI to their fullest extent. Finally, Ukraine calls upon Member States to revitalize and intensify international collaboration to prevent, detect, and eradicate the flow of illicit weapons across international borders and through international waters and airspace. | |
| Committee: | GA Second |
| Topic: | Role of the United Nations in promoting development in the context of globalization and interdependence |
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| In the wake of both World War II and the end of the Cold War, the global community has strived for a more interconnected world and to highlight how cooperation connects humans from all over the globe. Actions have been taken to bolster and uplift developing nations, and in the case of Ukraine, to transition to a more globally conscious framework following the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The successes found in promoting globalization efforts both within the United Nations as well as other organizations are commendable, and Ukraine fully supports increased efforts to promote development through globalization. In addition to supporting the developmental aspects of globalization, Ukraine also calls on further globalization efforts to bolster the defensive interdependence of the international community, to discourage aggressive action against member states. | |
| Committee: | GA Second |
| Topic: | Protection of global climate for present and future generations of humankind |
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| One of the most concerning ecological developments of the last several decades has been the dramatic increase of the threat climate change poses for the international community. The threat of climate change is being followed with concern, with Ukraine’s status as a breadbasket within eastern Europe being at risk to shifts in our climate. Ukraine is a committed member of the Paris Agreement and has a history of supporting resolutions in favor of global climate initiative. Ukraine reaffirms its commitment to such efforts and encourages increased climate action around the globe to ensure this catastrophe does not dramatically alter the global trajectory. | |
| Committee: | GA Third |
| Topic: | Universal realization of the right of peoples to self-determination |
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| Ukraine positions itself as a stalwart proponent of self-determination. As the most well known victim of aggression by the Russian Federation, we understand the importance of respecting and enforcing self-determination as a framework for maintaining peace between nations and peoples. We apply this principle broadly with regard to the people of Gaza, Taiwan, West Africa, and anywhere else such schisms can be found, and have supported or rejected United Nations resolutions accordingly (Ukraine’s voting history against Israel, 2025), as well as applying our stances on these principles to our broader diplomatic relations with nations who violate them. The principle of self-determination as it stands in the UN Charter is a right that must be restored to those who lack it. Our own nation is no exception. We unequivocally support the right of the Ukrainians in Russian-occupied territories to choose by whom they are governed, rather than having unjust governance forced upon them by the Russian Federation and its collaborators. We fight both militarily and diplomatically to ensure that the right to self-determination remains available to our people, rather than being trounced by Russian authoritarianism. To this end we have authored and sponsored numerous UN resolutions denouncing Russian attacks on our people and urging the international community to place heightened pressure on the Russian Federation to stop its unjust war. (The UN and the War in Ukraine, 2022). Until this war ends, the UN’s idea of self-determination will continue to be trampled. As such, we urge the member states of the UN to rally to its defense by applying diplomatic pressure against the Russian Federation to end the conflict between our nations. | |
| Committee: | GA Third |
| Topic: | Improvement of the situation of women and girls in rural areas |
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| Ukraine believes that the safety and equality of women and girls in rural areas is of the utmost importance. As a member state we prioritize addressing the disproportionate gender-based hardships rural women and girls face while living in combat zones and occupied areas. Despite their ongoing resilience, they are struggling to keep the agricultural supply chain of the country intact due to the current offensive on our country. Women and girls play a crucial role in rural development and food production, therefore we support the Rural Women's Business Network as they unite female farmers and agricultural businesses across Ukraine to create a more gender-sensitive agricultural sector. We align with the EU on gender equality and have created our first Gender Equality Index using European methodology. We have an understanding that conflict-related sexual violence is a war crime; in 2022 the Framework of Cooperation between the Government of Ukraine and the UN on the Response to Conflict-related violence was adopted. As many processes of harvesting remain non-mechanized and require manual labor from women and girls, we are urging for agro-technological advancements, including formal investments in farming equipment. We want to work with other member states to accelerate UN supported organizations that focus on rural female entrepreneurship and formal training such as the Rural Women's Business network. We recommend all member states to condemn the current violent offensive from our neighboring aggressors to create peace and stability for our rural women and girls. | |
| Committee: | GA Plenary |
| Topic: | Our ocean, our future, our responsibility |
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| Ukraine calls on all Member States to recognize that protecting the oceans is both an environmental responsibility and global security necessity. The militarization of waters, blockades, and disruptions to maritime trade threaten not only stability at sea but also peace and food security on land. Ukraine recognizes and stands by the fact that the ocean is more than just a resource farm and something to use. The ocean is something we should all collectively share responsibility for when it comes to maintaining and protecting it. We need to set regulations down as well as strictly enforce the idea of maintaining sustainable practices while also working together to achieve these goals. Ukraine relies heavily on these maritime trade routes and we need to make sure they are being properly managed and maintained to avoid the current threats Ukraine and many coastal/inland states are facing such as highly unethical, unregulated offshore drilling, overfishing, and negative effects such as pollution or environmental destruction which impacts all of us. Ukraine relies on the fact that our trade ports provide the majority of our country's exports and has no other option but to ensure that these ports and maritime routes are secure and considers the ecological standpoint of these practices. Ukraine urges the First Committee to take decisive action to strengthen maritime security and uphold territorial integrity. This includes enhancing monitoring in militarized waters such as the Black Sea, clearing naval mines to secure trade routes, and holding violators of international maritime law accountable under UNCLOS. Finally, environmental restoration efforts must address the lasting ecological damage from naval conflict to preserve marine ecosystems for future generations. Only through cooperation can the international community restore marine ecosystems and ensure that the oceans remain a source of stability and sustainability for generations to come. | |
| Committee: | GA Plenary |
| Topic: | Strengthening of the coordination of emergency humanitarian assistance of the United Nations |
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| The delegation of Ukraine acknowledges the fact that Humanitarian assistance from the United Nations is lacking effectiveness and needs to be improved, as this is one of the UN’s Core responsibilities, to assist others and provide support for those when needed. Ukraine itself knows how important and impactful receiving this aid can be when it is in a time of crisis, such as the current armed conflict taking place within our state and surrounding areas. Ukraine is beyond grateful for the continuing aid to our people, in the besieged communities within our borders and in refugee camps beyond. The importance of the continuance and improvement of these missions can not be overstated. When disaster strikes, whether it be an earthquake, landslide, tsunami, or missiles, the response time of emergency aid is of the utmost importance. The delegation of Ukraine has a strong interest and need for a solution for the lack of properly coordinated humanitarian aid and assistance from the United Nations. Within our own country, Armed conflict has severely wounded our ability to provide support and aid for our citizens in this time of crisis. Ukraine would take this opportunity to call upon all member states to devote themselves to the coordination of these efforts, reaffirming our commitment to resolutions S/RES/746 (1992) and S/RES/814 (1993), in which the security council called upon member states to coordinate humanitarian aid in a joint effort to maximize efficacy. | |
| Committee: | IAEA |
| Topic: | Nuclear security |
| Paper text: | |
| Nuclear security remains one of the most urgent challenges in our interconnected world. The threat of nuclear terrorism, illicit trafficking, and attacks on civilian nuclear facilities jeopardize global stability. Ukraine, where nuclear energy supplies over half of its national electricity and the country operates fifteen reactors at four sites,¹ is especially exposed. The ongoing crisis at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant — now in full shutdown — illustrates how armed conflict can endanger nuclear safety. Ukraine affirms that nuclear material and facilities must never become instruments of war. We strongly support the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) mission to prevent and respond to nuclear threats³ and we urge universal adherence to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material (and its Amendment) as well as the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism. Ukraine further supports strengthening the IAEA’s ability to deploy monitoring missions rapidly in crisis zones, ensuring an impartial Agency presence when facilities are at risk. Cybersecurity is an equally vital pillar of nuclear protection. Ukraine calls for greater international cooperation against cyber-threats to digital control systems, supports the IAEA’s Nuclear Security Series guidance, and emphasizes personnel reliability programs to address insider risks. For Ukraine, nuclear security is not only a matter of national interest but of global responsibility. Any misuse or sabotage of nuclear facilities would endanger all nations. We therefore call upon Member States to act decisively in safeguarding the peaceful atom and protecting humanity from risks that transcend borders. | |
| Committee: | IAEA |
| Topic: | Strengthening the Agency's activities related to nuclear science, technology and applications |
| Paper text: | |
| Nuclear science and technology, when applied responsibly, serve as engines of human progress. Ukraine depends on nuclear power for more than half of its electricity generation⁴ and continues to work closely with the IAEA to advance peaceful applications in health, agriculture, and water management. Despite the hardships of war, Ukraine remains committed to using the atom for sustainable development. The IAEA’s technical-cooperation programs are vital in ensuring that all States benefit from nuclear innovation. Through the IAEA’s imPACT program, Ukrainian hospitals have advanced cancer control through improved radiotherapy and nuclear-medicine services.⁵ In agriculture, nuclear techniques enhance soil quality, boost crop yields, and contribute to food security in times of crisis. Ukraine also advocates investment in next-generation nuclear energy, including small modular reactors (SMRs), which offer clean and reliable power with enhanced safety features. We call for expanded IAEA research partnerships and capacity-building programs to develop these technologies safely, as continued attacks have reduced Ukraine’s generation capacity to roughly one-third of pre-war levels.⁶ Finally, equitable access to nuclear knowledge must be ensured. The IAEA should broaden scholarships, fellowships, and training initiatives so that all nations may harness the peaceful atom. As global challenges such as climate change, food insecurity, and health crises intensify, the Agency’s work in nuclear science and applications will remain essential to humanity’s shared future. | |
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