1. More than four years into its full-scale invasion, Russia continues to terrify civilians in Ukraine through strikes on Kyiv and other urban targets, as well as on the infrastructure and transport links on which people depend every day. Ukrainian energy facilities, port and railway infrastructure, logistics hubs, and warehouses storing food and pharmaceuticals remain frequent targets. The European Union strongly condemns Russia’s intensified drone and missile strikes against Ukraine, including the attacks that took place in close proximity to the Polish border during the weekend, which once again demonstrate that Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine poses a direct and growing threat to European security.
2. Russia’s continued escalation only strengthens our resolve. We will step up our support for Ukraine and increase pressure on Russia. We expect Russia to show genuine political will to agree to a full, immediate and unconditional ceasefire and to engage in meaningful negotiations towards a comprehensive, just and lasting peace. Russia continues to ignore Ukraine’s ceasefire proposals, while its propaganda outlets openly celebrate the prospect of another winter of attacks on Ukrainian civilians and infrastructure.
Mr. Chair,
3. We support all diplomatic efforts, including those undertaken by the United States, aimed at achieving a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine, grounded in
international law, including the principles of the UN Charter, as well as the Helsinki Final Act. Such a peace must fully respect Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders. It must deliver justice for the victims. It must not appease the aggressor. We reiterate that peace efforts should be conducted in closest cooperation with Ukraine and European partners.
4. Four years ago, in September 2022, Ukraine liberated Izium. What Russia left behind were mass graves with hundreds of men, women and children, many bearing signs of torture, victims of Russia’s brutal occupation. We remain determined to ensure accountability for all violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law. We acknowledge the valuable work of the ODIHR and the OSCE Human Dimension Mechanisms in supporting these efforts. 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, as well as to ensure the immediate and safe return of all deported or forcibly transferred Ukrainian children. We call on Russia to fully comply with international humanitarian law in its treatment of prisoners of war.
5. We expect OSCE structures and institutions to continue supporting Ukraine, including through the Support Programme for Ukraine and the work of the autonomous institutions. The consequences of Russia’s aggression must continue to be addressed across all dimensions of security and at all levels. We welcome the attention given at last week’s Economic and Environmental Forum to the war’ economic and environmental impact. The OSCE plays and will continue to play a role in view of a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.
Mr. Chair,
6. 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 Iran, Belarus and the DPRK, among others.
7. We also condemn the repeated violations of the airspace of EU Member States, most recently of Romania, and of the Republic of Moldova, in the context of Russia’s intensified attacks against Ukraine. We stand in full solidarity with all EU Member States and countries that are affected by Russia’s actions.