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, Bosnia and Hercegovina, Iceland, Georgia, Liechtenstein, Moldova, Montenegro, Norway and North Macedonia.
Madam Chair, on the day we met for the first time under your Chairpersonship last week, reports came of a Russian missile attack that killed three people in Sumy, where a Russian attack on Palm Sunday last month had killed 35 people. Russia clearly continues with its campaign of drone and missile strikes targeting civilian and critical Ukrainian infrastructure. On Saturday, nine were reported dead following a drone strike on a civilian minibus evacuating residents of Sumy. And on Sunday 18 May, Russia carried out one of the largest drone attacks since the start of the full-scale invasion with 273 Shahed drones. It is for Russia to show its willingness to achieve peace, starting with an unconditional ceasefire of at least 30 days that Kyiv has already accepted. On Monday, President von der Leyen thanked President Trump for his tireless efforts to bring a ceasefire to Ukraine and wrote that ‘It is important that the US stays engaged.’ As she has made clear earlier: ‘Europe will always stand by Ukraine in the pursuit of peace. You can count on our support at the negotiating table to achieve a just and lasting peace.’
The EU and its Member States reiterate their resolute condemnation of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, which constitutes a manifest violation of the UN Charter, as well as OSCE principles and commitments, and reaffirm their continued support for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders. Those responsible for international crimes and human rights violations and abuses stemming from the Russian war of aggression, as well as the crime of aggression, must be held accountable. We acknowledge the conclusion of the work of the Core Group on the Establishment of a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine as laid down in the Lviv Statement of 9 May 2025, and we welcome the decision by the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers of 14 May 2025 on reaffirming that the establishment of a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine within the framework of the Council of Europe is a priority issue for the whole of Council of Europe.
We remain determined to continue providing multi-faceted support to Ukraine and its people, including financial, economic, humanitarian, military and diplomatic support, for as long as it takes and as intensely as needed to help Ukraine exercise its inherent right to self-defence and we reaffirm Ukraine's sovereign right to choose its own security arrangements.
The EU and its Member States have already delivered EUR 50 billion of military assistance to Ukraine, providing lethal and non-lethal military equipment to Ukraine, including ammunition, and helping to train over 74,000 Ukrainian soldiers so far through the EU Military Assistance Mission in support of Ukraine (EUMAM).
The EU is the largest public investor in the Ukrainian defence industry, helping accelerate the production of military equipment, from artillery systems to drones, significantly supporting Ukraine's defence efforts, bolstering Ukraine's economy and the EU's long-term security guarantees to Ukraine. A strong and capable defence industry is crucial to put Ukraine in a position of strength to defend itself and deter any future aggression. To this end, more than 500 representatives from EU and Ukraine defence industries took part in the second EU-Ukraine Defence Industry Forum on 12 May, to strengthen cooperation between both sides, to encourage joint procurement and help Ukraine to obtain capabilities in priority areas.
The EU and its Member States reiterate that Russia must immediately stop its war of aggression and put an end to the unbearable suffering and devastation it causes in Ukraine and beyond, and completely and unconditionally withdraw all its forces and military equipment from the entire territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders. The European Union remains ready to step up pressure on Russia, including by adopting further sanctions.
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, 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.
Thank you.