4 EU statements delivered in June and July 2026
On 3 June, the EU delivered a statement at the 1562nd Meeting of the Ministers’ Deputies at the Council of Europe, strongly condemning “the grave incident of 29 May 2026 in which a Russian drone carrying explosives, that was part of an overnight attack against Ukraine, crashed into a residential building in Galați, Romania”. The EU expressed “its full solidarity with Romania and those affected by this incident”.
On 17 June, the EU delivered a statement at the 1564th Meeting of the Ministers’ Deputies at the Council of Europe, welcoming “the recent release of Mr. Poczobut”, recipient of the 2025 Sakharov Prize, “following the release of other political prisoners in Belarus, whose courage and lifelong dedication to human rights have inspired many”. The EU reiterated its call “for the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners, and their effective rehabilitation”.
On 1 July, the EU delivered a statement at the 1565th Meeting of the Ministers’ Deputies at the Council of Europe, marking the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict, on 19 June and the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, on 26 June. The EU reiterated its “strongest condemnation of Russia’s violations of human rights and international humanitarian law” and reaffirmed “the EU’s 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”.
On 8 July, the EU delivered a statement at the 1566th Meeting of the Ministers’ Deputies at the Council of Europe, welcoming the recent release of 28 political prisoners in Belarus, but expressing concern about the fate of at least 863 political prisoners. The EU called “for the immediate and unconditional release of all remaining political prisoners in Belarus, for their effective rehabilitation, and urged the authorities to bring an end to repression”.