The United States commends the action by States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) to elect Czechia and North Macedonia to seats on the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) Executive Council and reject Russia’s bid for a seat. As many countries noted during the proceedings, a State Party that is engaged in a war of aggression against a neighbor and that is committing extensive violations of the Convention is not deserving of a seat on the OPCW’s Executive Council. It is clear that the States Parties to the CWC value the global norm against the use of chemical weapons. Russia must cease using chemical weapons and riot control agents as a method of warfare in its unlawful war against Ukraine and in violation of the CWC. Now that the vote has concluded, we hope that all States Parties will come together to focus on the core mission of the OPCW so we can continue to work to achieve the goal of a world free of chemical weapons.
