Mr. Chair,

The Delegation of Ukraine warmly congratulates you, Mr. Chair, on your assumption of this responsible position and expresses its full support to the Chair and the Secretariat in ensuring the comprehensive and efficient work of our session.

Ukraine aligns itself with the statement delivered by the European Union under this agenda item. In my national capacity, I would like to add the following remarks.

Currently, the Committee operates in an environment where humanity is experiencing the most profound transformation in the history of space exploration and use. We are witnessing rapid scientific and technological progress that is opening a new chapter in the history of civilization. Modern space activities are dynamically commercializing, transforming from a state-dominated domain into an open ecosystem of «New Space». New non-state actors are entering orbit «en masse».

The exponential deployment of satellite constellations in low Earth orbit, the active integration of artificial intelligence and automation in space system management, the development of commercial spaceflight, and practical preparations for the utilization of space resources on the Moon and other celestial bodies – all of these provide unique tools to address global challenges on Earth, from climate change to the digital divide.

However, these very positive trends generate unprecedented challenges and systemic risks that evolve much faster than the existing international legal framework. Today, we are forced to acknowledge serious threats to the Long-term Sustainability of Outer Space Activities (LTS), including critical overcrowding of orbital space, insufficient regulation of Space Traffic Management (STM), and risks associated with unilateral approaches to the regulation of space resources.

Ukraine stands firm on the position that outer space represents the future of all humankind. We must not allow terrestrial disputes to be projected into orbit. Any activity in outer space must be based on the principles of justice, transparency, predictability, and strict adherence to the Charter of the United Nations and the 1967 Outer Space Treaty.

Modern realities and the technological complexity of space projects require us to look beyond purely technical or commercial regulation. The ethical dimension of space activities must become an integral and foundational part of the international political and legal discourse.

Ukraine consistently advocates for the systematic integration of ethical principles into the future international legal framework governing outer space activities.

In this regard, we continue to support the important role played by the UN-affiliated Regional Centres for Space Science and Technology Education in building national capacities, promoting knowledge-sharing and expanding access to space technologies, particularly for developing countries.

At the same time, Ukraine reiterates its long-standing position that the so-called Centre for Space Science and Technology Education in the Eurasian Region hosted in the Russian Federation should remain non-affiliated with the United Nations. Affiliation with the United Nations presupposes respect for the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, which the Russian Federation continues to violate through its ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine.

Mr. Chair,

We cannot engage in abstract discussions about sustainable development, legal progress and ethics in space while turning a blind eye to real threats to international security on Earth. The security of outer space is inseparable from stability on our planet.

The unprovoked and unjustified full-scale war of aggression that the Russian Federation has been waging against Ukraine since 24 February 2022 has clearly demonstrated the most dangerous precedent of modern times: the destruction of the international legal order on Earth is instantly projected into the space domain, shattering the fundamental principles of trust.

Today, we observe a cynical trend whereby civilian technologies, satellite systems and commercial infrastructure are irresponsibly weaponized by the aggressor State to sustain military operations and wage a war of conquest. The deliberate destruction of Ukraine’s scientific, technological and space potential, together with missile attacks against civilian infrastructure, constitutes a direct violation of our state’s right to equal access to the benefits of the space era.

The aggressive abuse of missile technologies observed in recent years causes particular alarm. The territory of Ukraine has been transformed by the aggressor into a testing ground for advanced weaponry, culminating in the cynical use of intermediate-range ballistic missiles against large and densely populated cities. Furthermore, the Russian Federation continues to expand the architecture of its aggression through unlawful military-technical cooperation with UN-sanctioned States, including the import of ballistic missiles in direct violation of binding Security Council resolutions.

Simultaneously, irresponsible statements continue to be made by Russian officials and media outlets regarding the possibility of targeting or destroying civilian and commercial space assets of other nations under the fabricated pretext of their alleged «quasi-civilian» status.

In this context, any attempts by the aggressor State to promote manipulative initiatives on the COPUOS platform under the slogans of «promoting peace», «space science» or «free access to technologies» represent the highest degree of political cynicism. Such initiatives are aimed solely at diverting attention from Russia’s own violations, eroding the unique civilian mandate of COPUOS, and artificially duplicating the functions of the First Committee of the United Nations General Assembly, which is specifically mandated to deal with international security, disarmament and non-proliferation issues.

Peace in outer space cannot be built under the aegis or authorship of those who destroy peace on Earth every single day, trample upon the Charter of the United Nations and serve as a source of hybrid threats to all humankind. Such initiatives should be firmly rejected by the international community as fundamentally incompatible with the principles of justice and international law.

Mr. Chair,

We must protect the unique mandate of COPUOS from political manipulation, support progressive and inclusive initiatives aimed at modernizing space law and strengthening ethical governance in outer space, and continue to reject attempts to misuse the authority of the United Nations to conceal and legitimize aggressive and destructive policies.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.