1. Mr Chair, the EU and its Member States resolutely condemn Russia’s illegal, unprovoked and unjustifiable war of aggression against Ukraine, which constitutes a manifest violation of international law including the UN Charter as well as the OSCE’s core principles and commitments. We strongly condemn Russia for systematically and deliberately targeting Ukraine’s civilian and energy infrastructure. Russia continues in this relentless pattern with its targeted mass attacks on energy infrastructure, damaging electricity transmission and distribution systems as well as major thermal power and heating plants. On the day of our last meeting in this Forum, reports emerged of a missile and drone attack targeting Kyiv and Kharkiv. According to Ukrainian authorities that attack damaged 30 energy facilities and left 600 000 people without electricity. Ukraine has welcomed an energy ceasefire. Russia, however, has not adhered to it and continued its attacks on energy infrastructure. However, a ceasefire cannot work if only one party honours it. Now it is not the time to ease pressure on Moscow.
2. As European Council President António Costa remarked earlier this month “Russia’s intensified attacks on Ukraine [..] as well as its hybrid attacks against EU countries, demonstrate once again its lack of genuine interest in peace negotiations. The EU will continue to stand by Ukraine until a just and lasting peace is achieved. It is time for Russia to end its war.” We support a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine based on the principles of the UN Charter and international law and underpinned by robust and credible security guarantees for Ukraine, respecting Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. Borders must not be changed by force, the aggressor cannot be rewarded and Ukraine’s long-term security and ability to defend itself must be guaranteed. The path to peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without Ukraine.
3. President Costa further reiterated the need for peace and EU’s continued commitment to support Ukraine last week as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy joined the meeting of EU leaders on Friday, highlighting that increasing pressure on Russia was essential to bring it to accept a real ceasefire, negotiate and to stop the war. As he underlined “This is time for peace. This is not time to continue the war.”
4. We will continue our multi-faceted support to Ukraine and its people, including political, financial, economic, humanitarian, military and diplomatic support. This also includes supporting Ukraine’s ability to deter aggression and defend itself effectively, also in the long term.
5. Mr. Chair, we condemn the violations of the sovereign airspace of EU Member States, most recently of Romania whose national airspace was violated several times last week. Two Geran aerial UAVs over Romania's territorial waters were shot down by the Romanian Air Force last Saturday. Furthermore, on the night between 14 and 15 October, two chemical tankers were struck, one in the territorial waters and one in the exclusive economic zone of Romania. The attacks triggered a severe fire, leaving seven sailors missing. The EU and its Member States strongly condemn this further escalation and reiterate that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all States, including the inviolability of their airspace and territorial waters, must be fully respected. We call on Russia to respect international law and its OSCE commitments.
6. The EU and its Member States continue to call on Russia to stop its aggression and immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw all of its forces and military equipment from the entire territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders.
7. We urge all countries to immediately cease any assistance to Russia in its war of aggression against Ukraine, whether direct or indirect, and notably through the provision of dual-use goods and components. In particular, we strongly condemn the deployment of the DPRK’s military forces in the war against Ukraine as well as the continued military support provided to Russia by Belarus, Iran and the DPRK, among others.
8. The EU and its Member States reaffirm our strong commitment to ensuring full accountability for war crimes and the other most serious crimes committed in connection with Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.
Thank you.