Thank you, Chair,
I have the honour to speak on behalf of the following EU Member States: Austria,
Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany,
Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Cyprus, and also, on behalf of the following participating States that joined this statement: Ukraine, Albania, Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Moldova, Montenegro, Norway and North Macedonia.
1. Madam Chair, the United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine
underlined that 2025 was the deadliest year for civilians since 2022. Throughout
January, the pattern has not changed. Russia continued to attack civilians and
civilian infrastructure at an alarming pace. Last week only, on 27 January Ukrainian prosecutors indicated that a Russian drone strike on a passenger train killed five people. On 28 January, reports came of Russian missile and drone attacks across the country which killed a couple and injured four civilians. On 29 January, Ukraine emergency services reported three people were killed and three wounded in the Zaporizhzhia region. On 30 January, yet another Russian attack was reported with one Iskander ballistic missile and over 100 drones. On 1 February, a Russian drone strike on a civilian bus in the Dnipro region killed at least 15 miners. Then on 2 February, Russian shelling hitting energy and railway facilities was reported. And just yesterday, on 3 February, information came that Russia launched 30 Iskander missiles aiming at Ukrainian energy infrastructure. Before the meeting of EU Foreign Ministers last week High Representative Kallas described the dire situation: ‘Russia is trying to bomb and freeze Ukrainians to surrender.’
2. A humanitarian catastrophe, made in Russia, is looming. Following the meeting,
the High Representative anounced the biggest ever winter aid package, covering
emergency equipment, funding and energy deliveries. We will continue to provide
multi-faceted support, including political, financial, economic, humanitarian, military and diplomatic support to Ukraine and its people.
3. Sanctions are an essential part of our efforts. The latest package of sanctions
targeted key sectors which fuel Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, including
energy, finance and the military industrial complex. On the individual level, the 19th sanctions package included, among others, a senior DPRK military commander deployed to Russia in support of the latter’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, and an individual responsible for the inhumane treatment of Ukrainian prisoners of war. Further restrictive measures were imposed last year on three Russian entities involved in the development and use of chemical weapons by Russian troops in Ukraine.
4. We 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.
5. The EU and its Member States stand by Ukraine as it exercises its inherent right
to self-defence against Russia’s full-scale war of aggression, and we will continue
to stand by Ukraine and its people, as long as necessary and whatever it takes.
6. Russia must 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. The EU and its Member States 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 Belarus, Iran and the DPRK.
8. We urge all countries to immediately cease any direct or indirect assistance to
Russia in its war of aggression against Ukraine. In this vein, and as stated by G7
Foreign Ministers and the HRVP, China is also a decisive enabler of Russia’s war.
9. Madam 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 the UN Charter, as well as core OSCE principles and commitments. Russia must not and will not prevail. The EU and its Member States support a comprehensive, just and lasting peace based on the principles of the UN Charter and international law. We reaffirm our continued and unwavering support for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders.
Thank you