Madam Chair, distinguished delegates, I have the honour to speak on behalf of the following EU Member States: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Denmark.
and also on behalf of the following participating States that joined the statement: Ukraine, Albania, Andorra, Bosnia and Hercegovina, Iceland, Georgia, Liechtenstein, Moldova, Montenegro, Norway and North Macedonia.
Madam Chair, during last week’s Annual Security Review Conference we again witnessed participating States of this organisation overwhelmingly condemn Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine as fundamental violation of our organisation’s core principles and Russia’s ever increasing violations of international humanitarian law. Russia’s most recent actions since we last met in this Forum leave no doubt why this remains the case. On Sunday, 22 June, reports came of Russian strikes killing at least one civilian in Ukraine’s Donetsk region, while another died in a drone attack in the north of the country. On Monday last week, another massive Russian attack on Kyiv and its surrounding region resulted in at least seven civilians being killed and dozens of others injured. We were appalled by Russia’s missile strike on the Dnipro region which targeted a civilian train, schools and hospitals, killed at least 20 civilians and injured more than 300 including 27 children.
Casualties of Russia’s unprovoked, unjustifiable and illegal war of aggression represent more than a security matter, they are a constant reminder of the human suffering that Russia’s war brings on a daily basis, for civilians as well as for soldiers.
As such, the Russian Federation continues with its manifest violation of international law, including the UN Charter, as well as core OSCE principles and commitments. The EU and its Member States strongly condemn the continuous bombing of civilians and civilian infrastructure by Russia and call for a full, unconditional and immediate ceasefire. We welcome Ukraine’s readiness in this regard and urge Russia to show real political will to end its war of aggression, to agree to such a ceasefire, and to engage in meaningful negotiations.
As we marked the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture on 26 June, we recall that under international law, the ban on torture is absolute and equally applies in war. In breach of their international obligations, Russian authorities continue, as reports by the OSCE and UN show, to egregiously subject Ukrainian civilian detainees and prisoners of war to systematic and widespread torture as part of a coordinated state policy. In this context, we call for a stop to and strongly condemn this policy and we welcome and encourage the continuation of exchanges of prisoners of war.
The EU and its Member States reaffirm their strong commitment to ensuring full accountability for war crimes and other most serious crimes committed in connection with Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. In this context, the recent progress made on establishing a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine is an important step. As High Representative Kaja Kallas underlined: ‘Every inch of Russia’s war has been documented. There is no room for doubt – and no room for
impunity. The agreement between President Zelenskyy and the Council of Europe to set up a Special Tribunal sends a clear message: No one in Russia’s leadership is untouchable.’
We strongly condemn support by third countries, and actors and entities therein, which enable Russia to sustain its war of aggression against Ukraine. We condemn the continued military support provided by Iran, Belarus and the DPRK and urge all countries to immediately cease any direct or indirect assistance to Russia in its war of aggression against Ukraine.
The EU and its Member States urge all countries to cease all assistance for Russia’s war of aggression, including the provision of dual-use goods and sensitive items that sustain Russia’s military industrial base. In this vein, and as stated by G7 Foreign Ministers and the HRVP, China is also a decisive enabler of Russia’s war.
We reaffirm our continued and unwavering support for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders. The European Council reiterates the inherent right of Ukraine to choose its own destiny, based on the UN Charter and international law. In line with the ‘peace through strength’ approach, which requires Ukraine to be in the strongest possible position, with its own robust military and defence capabilities as an essential component, the EU and its Member States will continue to provide multi-faceted support, including political, financial, economic, humanitarian, military and diplomatic support to Ukraine and its people.
We stand ready to increase pressure on Russia as necessary until a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine, grounded in the principles of the UN Charter and international law, has been achieved.
Thank you.