1. Mr Chair, the latest United Nations report on civilian casualties in Ukraine during the month of May highlights that 274 civilians were killed and 1,763 injured last month, making it once again a month with the highest total number of civilians killed and injured since April 2022. The report also stated that attacks with long-range weapons such as missiles and drones were the primary cause of civilian casualties, with most casualties occurring in urban centres, such as Kyiv and Dnipro. The situation of record casualties now seems to repeat month after month as Russia continues on its escalatory path, manifestly violating the UN Charter as well as the OSCE’s core principles and commitments.
2. The EU and its Member States strongly condemn the recent serious escalation by Russia, including large-scale missile and drone attacks against civilians in Ukraine, the recent strikes against the UNESCO World Heritage site of Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra and Russia’s systematic and deliberate targeting of Ukraine’s civilian and energy infrastructure.
3. We also strongly condemn Russia’s increasingly aggressive, reckless and irresponsible behaviour towards EU Member States, including foreign information manipulation and interference, and threats against the European diplomatic presence in Ukraine as well as the repeated violations of territory of the European Union Member States. Russia bears full responsibility for the consequences of its escalatory behaviour and its continued military actions. We stand in full solidarity with all EU Member States that continue to be provoked and threatened by Russia.
4. Last week also showed how the Russian Federation continues to be isolated in its position as participating States overwhelmingly condemned its war of aggression against Ukraine during the Annual Security Review Conference on 17-18 June, largely considering it the biggest threat to security in the OSCE area.
5. At the same time, G7 Leaders underlined in the latest statement their unity in support for Ukraine, commending its resilience and progress on the battlefield in recent months. As European Council President António Costa said after the G7 meeting: “the European Union and the United States and our partners from Canada, Japan, UK - all of us - are working together to continue to support Ukraine,” with the EU and its Member States providing their multifaceted support, including political, financial, economic, humanitarian, military and diplomatic support to Ukraine and its people.
6. We also reaffirm our continued firm and unwavering support for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders. We 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.
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. Mr Chair, 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 and underpinned by robust and credible security guarantees for Ukraine and underline that the path to peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without Ukraine. We urge Russia to show genuine willingness regarding peace, agree to a full, unconditional and immediate ceasefire and engage in meaningful negotiations.
9. We also 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.