6. Question No. 6—Foreign AffairsDAN ROSEWARNE (Labour) to the Minister of Foreign AffairsQuestion No. 6—Foreign Affairs6. DAN ROSEWARNE (Labour) to the Minister of Foreign Affairs: What recent announcement has she made about New Zealand's ongoing response to Russia's assault on Ukraine?Hon NANAIA MAHUTA (Minister of Foreign Affairs): Thank you for the question. In response to Russia's illegal and unjustified invasion of Ukraine I've recently announced a new tranche of 23 sanctions. These are an extension of our ongoing commitment to stand with Ukraine and to condemn the actions of those contributing to this ongoing crisis. Specifically these sanctions are aimed at Russia's military industrial complex the paramilitary group and individuals who have played a part in unlawfully transporting and deporting Ukrainian children to Russia. These sanctions will also impact a number of Belarusian financial institutions due to their escalating support of Russia's war in Ukraine. This represents our staunch stand against the abhorrent actions we are witnessing. Since the passing of the Russia Sanctions Act in March 2022 New Zealand has adopted more than 20 rounds of sanctions targeting over 1500 individuals and entities. We remain committed to aligning our actions with international sanctions efforts in response to Russia's aggression.Dan Rosewarne: How does she plan to address the actions of Russia concerning the deportation of Ukrainian children?Hon NANAIA MAHUTA: New Zealand categorically condemns the acts of unlawfully separating children from their families. This is a gross violation of human rights and a clear breach of international law. We have specifically included three individuals involved in these heinous actions in our recent sanctions. We are sending a strong message to Russia and the world that such actions are intolerable and will be met with decisive measures.Dan Rosewarne: What is the purpose of these sanctions on Russia's military industrial complex and Belarusian financial institutions?Hon NANAIA MAHUTA: The sanctions aimed at Russia's military industrial complex and Belarusian financial institutions are designed to disrupt their operations and reduce their ability to support military activities. Fourteen of these sanctions target individuals and entities of the Russian military industrial complex involved in the development manufacture and procurement of weapons and technology used against Ukraine. We expect these sanctions to have a significant impact and limit their capacity to continue their aggression.Dan Rosewarne: What is New Zealand's response to Russian nuclear weapons stationed in Belarus?Hon NANAIA MAHUTA: New Zealand remains deeply concerned about Belarus hosting Russian tactical nuclear weapons on their territory. New Zealand has always been a strong advocate for nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation and any development that means nuclear weapons are sited in more countries is negative. We call on Russia to reverse this course of action and on Belarus not to host nuclear weapons now or in the future. It represents a direct threat—not only to Ukraine but also to its neighbouring allies—and destabilises the region further.