Thank you, Chair,
I have the honour to speak on behalf of the following EU Member States: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden.
The following participating States have joined the Statement: Albania, Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Republic of Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway and Ukraine.
Mr. Chair,
1. Russia continues to wage its large-scale war of aggression against Ukraine, carrying out almost daily strikes on civilians and civilian infrastructure and inflicting unacceptable loss of life and large-scale destruction. Showing unprecedented contempt for the Olympic ideals, while Russian athletes marched behind their national flag during the opening ceremony of the Milan-Cortina Paralympic Games, Russia continued to target civilians in Ukraine. On the night of 7 March, Russia conducted another combined air attack, deploying 29 missiles and 480 drones against energy and railway infrastructure in multiple regions. In Kharkiv, a Russian ballistic missile struck a multi-storey residential building, killing eleven people, including 2 children, and wounding 16 others. In Zaporizhzhia and Kramatorsk, multi-storey residential buildings were also damaged and civilians injured. The European Union condemns these attacks and demands accountability for those responsible. Intentionally directing attacks against civilians and civilian objects, as well as indiscriminate attacks, constitute violations of international humanitarian law and amount to war crimes.
2. Russian forces have intensified their campaign against Ukrainian railway infrastructure, carrying out multiple strikes on rail lines, stations, bridges and rolling stock, that have damaged at least 41 key facilities since the beginning of the month. These attacks not only disrupt Ukraine’s economic lifelines, but also threaten the stability of supply chains essential for recovery, deepening the humanitarian consequences of the war. Russian large-scale attacks on Ukraine’s critical energy infrastructure have already caused immense suffering of the population during the coldest winter since the start of the war.
3. Russia’s war of aggression has also inflicted devastating consequences on the environment due to widespread pollution of soil and water, damage to ecosystems, and land degradation, destruction of critical infrastructure and contamination from hazardous substances. Nearly 11,000 documented incidents of environmental damage illustrate both the scale of the destruction, and its systemic nature. The long-term consequences for biodiversity, natural resources, and public health will likely persist for decades, affecting generations to come. The European Union remains steadfast in its commitment to supporting Ukraine in assessing and mitigating these environmental harms as part of its broader recovery efforts. We also express our support for OSCE projects assessing the environmental impact of the war and helping Ukraine alleviate its consequences.
4. The European Union, in close coordination with our international partners, will continue to stand by Ukraine and its people, delivering comprehensive and multi dimensional political, financial, economic, humanitarian, military and diplomatic support. A particular priority remains the restoration of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
Mr. Chair,
5. Russia’s aggression will not prevail. We continue to exert pressure on Russia to end its aggression and engage constructively in peace talks. We remain committed to achieving a just and lasting peace, grounded in the principles of the UN Charter, international law, and the Helsinki Final Act. The EU and its Member States are ready to contribute to robust and credible security guarantees for Ukraine, based on their respective competences and capabilities and in line with international law, in order to prevent renewed aggression by Russia. These include supporting Ukraine’s ability to deter aggression and defend itself effectively.
6. The OSCE plays and will continue to play a role in view of a just and lasting peace in Ukraine. OSCE leadership must continue the Organisation’s support to Ukraine, including through the SPU. We commend ODIHR for its monitoring activities which together with OSCE Human Dimension Mechanisms provide important contributions to ensuring full accountability.
7. While we welcome the latest exchange of prisoners of war, we restate our demand for the immediate and unconditional release of all prisoners of war and civilians arbitrarily detained by Russia, including the three OSCE officials: Vadym Golda, Maxim Petrov and Dmytro Shabanov. We reiterate our unequivocal demand for the immediate, unconditional, and safe return of all Ukrainian children who have been unlawfully deported to the Russian Federation or forcibly transferred within the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. The latest report of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine concluded that the “transfer of children by Russian authorities to the Russian Federation or to areas they occupied in Ukraine[..] amount to crimes against humanity and war crimes of deportation and forcible transfer of children”.
8. We condemn the continued support for Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine provided by third countries, such as the DPRK, Belarus, Iran, and actors and entities therein. We urge the cessation of all assistance, including the provision of military and dual-use goods and other sensitive items that sustain Russia’s military industrial base. As stated by the G7 Foreign Ministers and the EU High Representative, China is also a decisive enabler of Russia’s war.
9. We reiterate, again, our unwavering support for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders. Russia must stop its aggression and immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw all its forces and military equipment from the entire territory of Ukraine.
Thank you, Chair.