1. Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has entered an even grimmer phase, as Russia intensifies its strikes against civilians and civilian objects, terrifying the population and causing widespread destruction across the country. We are appalled by the latest wave of Russia’s attacks, which have killed and injured people on buses, at their homes and workplaces, while destroying schools, kindergartens, medical facilities, transport and energy infrastructure. More than 150 people were killed and over 700 injured over the past week, as reported by President Zelenskyy. We unequivocally condemn these attacks and demand that Russia immediately and unconditionally cease its aggression, withdraw all its forces and military equipment from the entire territory of Ukraine, and fully respect Ukraine’s sovereignty,
independence and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders.
Intentionally directing attacks against civilians and civilian objects, as well as indiscriminate attacks, constitute violations of international humanitarian law and amount to war crimes.
2. Russia alone bears responsibility for this war of aggression against Ukraine and for the suffering it continues to cause, while disregarding repeated international calls for peace and for a ceasefire. Ukraine has demonstrated its readiness for a full and unconditional ceasefire, consistent with its sustained efforts to end hostilities and pursue peace negotiations. Most recently, Ukraine has welcomed an energy ceasefire. Russia, however, has not adhere to it and continued its attacks on energy infrastructure, further severely affecting the daily lives of people in Ukraine and harming the economy. However, a ceasefire cannot work if only one party honours it. Now it is not the time to ease pressure on Moscow.
Mr. Chair,
3. We also strongly condemn Russia’s repeated irresponsible attacks on commercial vessels in the Black Sea, most recently in the exclusive economic zones of Romania and Bulgaria. Lives of innocent sailors were lost at sea. Such attacks impact the freedom of navigation, harm the Black Sea environment and further threaten global food security impacting the most vulnerable. Russia must stop undermining freedom of navigation in the Black Sea and respect it in accordance with international law, in particular UNCLOS. The EU has repeatedly made this position clear and called for an immediate moratorium on attacks on merchant ships and ports infrastructure.
4. Accountability for violations of international law and compensation for damage caused remain essential to a just and lasting peace for Ukraine—a peace firmly rooted in international law, including the UN Charter, and in the Helsinki Final Act. In this context, we welcome the ongoing preparations for the establishment of an International Claims Commission for Ukraine as well as progress on the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression. ODIHR, through its monitoring activities, and the OSCE Human Dimension Mechanisms also make important contributions to accountability. The OSCE therefore plays and will continue to play a role in view of a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.
5. We call on Russia to release immediately and unconditionally all unlawfully detained civilians, including the three OSCE staff members — Vadym Golda, Maksym Petrov and Dmytro Shabanov.
Mr Chair,
6. We commend the fortitude, determination and resilience of the Ukrainian people and their leadership in resisting Russian aggression and defending their country. We will continue our firm and unwavering support for Ukraine and further increase pressure on Russia, including through sanctions. The EU has adopted its largest-ever set of sanctions listings against Russia, targeting nearly 1,600 individuals and entities, including those sustaining Russia’s military-industrial complex and 77 additional listings against those involved in the illegal so-called 'elections' for the Russian StateDuma, held in September 2026 in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.
We urge again 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 Iran, Belarus and the DPRK, among others.