Madam Chair, distinguished delegates, I have the honour to speak on behalf of the following EU Member States: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden,
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, for weeks now, we join Ukraine and international partners, including the United States, in calling for a full, unconditional ceasefire. Instead, Russia continues with its abominable attacks on civilians: on Tuesday last week reports came of a Russian artillery attack on Sumy which killed four people and injured 28. On Thursday, five were killed, including a one-year old child when its home was hit by a Russian drone in Pryluky. Since Friday, Russia escalated its drone and missile attacks across Ukraine almost daily, causing further civilian casualties and destruction.
We welcome the recent prisoners’ exchange between Ukraine and the Russian Federation as well as the plans for further exchanges agreed on 2 June. During the meeting in Istanbul Russia has not made its proposals any more realistic, doable, or flexible. We regret that the memorandum published by the Russian side after the second round of talks bears witness to Moscow's maximalist approach, echoing its 2022 positions and confirming its lack of interest in the negotiations. It is Russia who started its unprovoked, unjustifiable and illegal war of aggression and it is now for Russia to show its willingness to achieve peace.
Instead, the Russian Federation continues with its manifest violation of international law, including the UN Charter, as well as core OSCE principles and commitments. Last month, the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine also concluded that the drone attacks by Russian Armed Forces on civilians in the Kherson region amount to crimes against humanity. Nearly 150 civilians have been killed and hundreds more injured as drone operators focused on targets that were visibly civilian, and dropped explosives on them.
The EU and its Member States reiterate their resolute condemnation of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and reaffirm their continued support for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders. Russia must immediately stop its war of aggression and put an end to the unbearable suffering and devastation it causes and completely and unconditionally withdraw all of its forces and military equipment from the entire territory of Ukraine. Those responsible for international crimes and human rights violations and abuses stemming from the Russian war of aggression must be held accountable.
We strongly condemn the continued support for Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine provided by third countries, such as the DPRK, Belarus and Iran. We also condemn in the strongest possible terms the DPRK unlawful arms transfers to Russia in breach of multiple UN Security Council resolutions, as well as Russia’s use of these missiles for attacking Ukraine and the deployment of DPRK troops to Russia, supporting Russia’s illegal war of aggression.
We 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, we take note of what was stated by G7 Foreign Ministers and the HRVP that China is also a decisive enabler of Russia’s war.
Last month, EU High Representative Kaja Kallas announced an ambitious target of providing two million rounds of large-calibre artillery ammunition for Ukrainian Armed Forces, an essential requirement for the country’s defence, to be delivered by EU Member States in 2025. Approximately two-thirds of this target have already been reached through combined deliveries and commitments.
The EU and its Member States will continue providing multi-faceted support, including financial, economic, humanitarian, military and diplomatic support, to Ukraine and its people to help the country exercise its inherent right to self-defence. Russia must not prevail.
Thank you.