We condemn in the strongest possible terms the illegal launch of several short-range ballistic missiles by North Korea. In recent months, North Korea has carried out several tests of short-range and medium-range missiles and has also supplied ballistic missiles to Russia, thus repeatedly violating the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions. The North Korean missile tests pose a blatant threat to security on the Korean Peninsula and in the entire region. Moreover, the use of North Korean missiles by Russia in Ukraine poses a threat to European security, to which we will respond appropriately together with our partners.

We urge North Korea to refrain from further missile launches, to cease illegal arms supplies to Russia and to abide by its obligations under international law. Furthermore, we call on North Korea to accept the offers of talks put forward by the United States and South Korea and to enter into serious negotiations on the dismantling of its illegal nuclear and missile programmes. North Korea is under an obligation to completely, verifiably and irreversibly end its programmes to develop weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles.