1. 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.
2. We reaffirm our continued firm and unwavering support for Ukraine’s
independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally
recognised borders. Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions as well
as the Crimean Peninsula are Ukraine. Borders must not be changed by force and
the aggressor cannot be rewarded. The EU and its Member States support a
comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine based on the principles of the
UN Charter and international law.
3. On the day we last met in this Forum, Russia started an air campaign against
Ukraine's energy infrastructure, with reports of power facilities and infrastructure around Kyiv and other regions being hit in the heaviest combined attack on energy sites in months. The attacks caused casualties and damage in Kyiv and other regions. Just last weekend, a Russian drone strike on energy infrastructure in Poltava Oblast left 22 000 people reportedly without electricity.
4. We condemn the attack against the grain carrying ship in the Black Sea in the
exclusive economic zone of Romania which occurred on 5 October and a similar
attack yesterday in the exclusive economic zone of Bulgaria in the context of
Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. In the first case, two members of the
crew were killed and 11 were rescued by the Romanian coast guard. We call for
an immediate moratorium on attacks on merchant ships and ports infrastructure.
5. We will continue our multi-faceted support to Ukraine and its people, including political, financial, economic, humanitarian, military and diplomatic support. At the moment, the overall assistance provided to Ukraine amounts to EUR 224,5 billion
6. Out of this, the EU and its Member States have so far provided EUR 93 billion to Ukrainian Armed Forces to ensure that Ukraine has the military means to continue to exercise its inherent right of self-defence and counter Russia's aggression.
7. EU Military Assistance Mission in support of Ukraine was set up in November 2022 with the aim of contributing to enhancing the military capability of Ukraine’s armed forces to conduct operations, in order to allow Ukraine to defend its territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders, exercise its sovereignty and protect civilians. Through the financial support of EUR 610 million for both the training and the provision of training equipment, it has trained 97 000 Ukrainian soldiers so far. In practice, the training is provided at various levels with a broad thematic focus. Following the meeting of EU Defence Ministers on 28 September, it was agreed to extend EUMAM Ukraine for another two years.
8. Mr Chair, 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.
9. 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.
10.We also reiterate that Russia is bound by the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and International Humanitarian Law. The recent threats issued against the international community based in Kyiv will not deter us from supporting Ukraine – the EU is bound to stay in Ukraine and with Ukraine.
11.Mr Chair, in his speech on Friday last week, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights underlined that “the war in Ukraine is a human rights catastrophe that is growing and intensifying by the week”. He recalled the latest UN report which found “shocking levels of sexual violence against civilians and prisoners of war” and underlined that “Alongside peace, there must be accountability.”
12.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