Mr. Chair,

The delegation of Ukraine wishes to express its serious concerns regarding the draft resolution entitled «Space Science and Technology for Promoting Peace».

At the outset, Ukraine reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the peaceful exploration and use of outer space in accordance with international law, including the Charter of the United Nations and the Outer Space Treaty. We fully support international cooperation in space activities and recognize the invaluable contribution of space science and technology to sustainable development, disaster response, environmental protection, scientific progress and the well-being of humanity.

However, we do not believe that this initiative contributes to these objectives. Ukraine shares the concerns already expressed by a number of delegations regarding both the substance of this initiative and its procedural implications.

The issues raised in connection with this initiative primarily concern international peace and security, strategic stability and the security dimensions of outer space activities. These matters fall outside the mandate of COPUOS and its subsidiary bodies.

The international community has long maintained a clear distinction between discussions on the peaceful uses of outer space and discussions relating to international security and disarmament. This distinction is reflected in the mandates of relevant United Nations bodies and has served the international community well for decades.

Attempts to blur this distinction risk undermining established processes and duplicating discussions that belong in other forums specifically established to address security-related matters.

Ukraine also remains concerned by approaches associated with this initiative, particularly those relating to commercial space systems and their role in contemporary space activities.

Many space technologies are inherently dual-use in nature. Satellite communications, navigation, positioning and timing services, Earth observation, remote sensing and numerous other space-based capabilities simultaneously support civilian, scientific, commercial, humanitarian and security-related functions.

Any meaningful discussion concerning commercial space systems must begin with the recognition of their dual-use nature and the reality of existing State practice.

Commercial satellite communications, navigation, positioning, timing and Earth observation services are routinely used around the world for civilian, commercial, humanitarian and security-related purposes. Any approach that fails to acknowledge this reality risks producing conclusions detached from the contemporary space environment.

Mr. Chair,

Ukraine is particularly concerned by interpretations of the peaceful uses of outer space that are neither supported by contemporary practice nor consistent with the established understanding of international law.

The delegation of Ukraine cannot accept the implication, explicit or implicit, that the provision of commercial space-based services to a sovereign State acting in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations is somehow inconsistent with the peaceful uses of outer space.

Nothing in international law, including international space law, prohibits the provision of commercial satellite communications, navigation, positioning, timing, remote sensing or Earth observation services to a State acting in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, including in the exercise of its inherent right of self-defence under Article 51 of the Charter.

On the contrary, such services have become indispensable for economic development, humanitarian operations, disaster response, civilian protection and the resilience of critical infrastructure worldwide.

Attempts to delegitimize or stigmatize the use of commercial space capabilities by sovereign States exercising their lawful rights under international law would create dangerous precedents, undermine legal certainty and risk limiting access to critical space-enabled services relied upon by States around the world.

Mr. Chair,

The issue before us is not whether space science and technology should contribute to peace. They should, and they already do. The issue is whether this Committee should endorse approaches that could create political and normative grounds for restricting the legitimate use of commercial space services by sovereign States while simultaneously transferring security-related issues from the appropriate international forums into COPUOS.

No State engaged in an act of aggression should be permitted to redefine the lawful exercise of self-defence by another State as an abuse of commercial space technologies.

Mr. Chair,

The implications of such an approach extend far beyond any single conflict.

Commercial space services today support humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, emergency communications, telemedicine, distance learning, environmental monitoring, food security and sustainable development across the globe.

Many developing countries increasingly rely on these services to bridge technological gaps, strengthen resilience and expand access to essential public services.

Creating uncertainty regarding the legitimacy of such systems would neither promote peace nor contribute to international cooperation. It would instead risk undermining access to technologies that have become essential for achieving sustainable development objectives worldwide.

Mr. Chair,

Ukraine also finds it deeply troubling that this initiative is advanced by a State that continues to wage a war of aggression against a sovereign neighbour in flagrant violation of the Charter of the United Nations.

For more than a decade, and particularly since February 2022, the Russian Federation has systematically undermined international peace and security through its aggression against Ukraine.

Against this backdrop, attempts by Russia to position itself as a promoter of peace through space activities lack credibility.

Ukraine therefore remains unconvinced that this initiative serves the interests of international cooperation in outer space or contributes to the objectives that its title claims to pursue.

For these reasons, Ukraine cannot support the draft resolution entitled “Space Science and Technology for Promoting Peace”.

We encourage all delegations to carefully assess its broader legal, political and practical implications and to preserve the long-standing mandate of COPUOS as the principal United Nations forum dedicated to the peaceful uses of outer space.

Thank you.