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.The European Union is gravely concerned by the sharp rise in civilian casualties, including children, caused by Russia’s intensified large-scale air strikes on civilians and civilian infrastructure in past weeks. Using barrages of drones and missiles, including during daytime, Russia has struck residential buildings, schools and kindergarten, hospitals, market places, water systems, railway infrastructure and public transport. The announced Easter ceasefire was fragile and largely violated. We once again demand Russia to end its aggression, immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw all of its forces and military equipment from the entire territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders, agree to a full, immediate and unconditional ceasefire and engage in meaningful peace negotiations. 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. In early April, we commemorated the victims of the mass atrocities in Bucha, committed during Russia’s temporary occupation of parts of the Kyiv region in 2022 – a stark example of Russia's brutality. We also pay tribute to those who were killed in Kramatorsk (2022) and in Sumy (2025), alongside countless others subjected to mass killings, torture, sexual violence, forced deportations, and other grave violations of international humanitarian and human rights law across Ukraine.
3. Yet remembrance alone is not enough. We remain committed to ensuring full accountability for war crimes and the other most serious crimes committed in connection with Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. In this context, we underscore the rights of all victims and survivors to truth, justice, reparation and non-repetition. We support the operationalisation of the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine and the establishment of the International Claims Commission for Ukraine. We also express our support for investigations by the International Criminal Court into the situation in Ukraine and call for full cooperation by all State Parties. The OSCE Moscow Mechanism and ODIHR reports remain crucial tools in our pursuit of justice. The OSCE therefore plays and will continue to play a role in view of a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.
4. After years of Russian captivity, 175 Ukrainian servicemembers and 7 civilians returned to Ukraine last week. While we welcome the recent prisoner exchange, 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, unlawfully detained four years ago. We are appalled by the reports on the execution of four Ukrainian prisoners of war during the Easter truce. Russia must ensure that prisoners of war receive the protection and humane treatment to which they are entitled under international humanitarian law and grant the ICRC regular access to all persons deprived of liberty. We also recall our demand for the immediate, unconditional, and safe return of all Ukrainian children unlawfully deported to the Russian Federation or forcibly transferred within the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.
Mr. Chair,
5. The EU stand firms in its pursuit of a comprehensive, just and lasting
peace in Ukraine, based on international law, including the rules and principles of the UN Charter and of the Helsinki Final Act. To this end, respect for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity is the cornerstone. Borders must not be changed by force, the aggressor cannot be rewarded and Ukraine’s long term security and ability to defend itself must be guaranteed. The EU and its Member States stand ready to contribute to robust and credible security guarantees for Ukraine, based on their respective competences and capabilities and in line with international law, while continuing to also provide comprehensive political, financial, economic, humanitarian, military and diplomatic support in close coordination with like-minded partners and allies.
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 by Iran, Belarus and the DPRK, among others.