1. As substantiated by UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine reporting, recent months have been the deadliest in Ukraine as Russia escalated its strikes, including on civilian infrastructure. This relentless pattern remains unchanged this month, with some of the deadliest recent attacks being reported last week. On 7 October, a Russian missile hit a residential building in Pryluky, killing 22 civilians including five children. This was part of a broad Russian strike with waves of missiles and drones resulting in at least 32 civilians killed. The day after, a Russian glide bomb killed at least 30 people as it hit two civilian buses in the city of Kramatorsk in Ukraine’s east.
2. 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.
3. Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine also causes further death and suffering beyond the battlefield and we commend again the Security Dialogue organised today on Strengthening Implementation and Accountability Mechanisms. In September last year, the Moscow Mechanism Mission found that the Russian Federation has engaged in widespread and systematic violations of International Humanitarian Law and International Human Rights Law in its treatment of Ukrainian Prisoners of War. According to its report, these violations may constitute war crimes and, in some cases, arguably, crimes against humanity. The Mission underscored the urgent need for accountability, reparations, and continued international monitoring to ensure respect for the rights of Ukrainian POWs and respect for international law. ODIHR continues to report on violations of International Humanitarian Law and International Human Rights Law, including in its latest, ninth, interim report from July this year, which reported Russian armed forces continued large-scale coordinated strikes on urban areas of Ukraine. Over the past weeks, we and others spoke of the findings of the United Nations reporting of sexual violence being used against civilians and prisoners of war in Ukraine in a “shocking pattern of torture, intimidation and coercion”.
4. 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.
5. In view of our commitment to step up pressure on Russia, the EU agreed on Monday the largest-ever package of listings targeting almost 1 600 individuals and entities in Russia’s military-industrial complex.
6. We will continue our multi-faceted support to Ukraine and its people, including political, financial, economic, humanitarian, military and diplomatic support. Most recently, as a part of the EUR 90 billion Ukraine Support Loan, EUR 1.24 billion was disbursed on 7 October under the loan’s defence component funding drones, drone interceptors, drone ammunition and missiles, while further disbursements will continue in the coming weeks.
7. 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, a call also recently reiterated by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
8. 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.
9. The EU and its Member States continue to support a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine based on the principles of the UN Charter and international law.
Thank you.