On 2 March 2022, the EU Delegation to Syria hosted the Chargé d’Affaires of Ukraine to Syria alongside Heads of missions of EU Member States, Australia, Canada, Norway, Switzerland, United Kingdom and the United States of America.

The participants expressed their solidarity and support for the Ukrainian people in their fight against the unprovoked and unjustified Russian military aggression. They reaffirmed their political, financial and humanitarian commitment to Ukraine and its people and expressed their concern at the escalation of the situation.

The EU reaffirms that the consequences of this war, which constitutes a gross violation of international law and principles of co-existence, deeply undermine global security and stability. It is detrimental to the fate of many people—mainly but not only Ukrainians—with ramifications well beyond Europe, including the Middle East and specifically Syria.

Syrians unfortunately know too well the human suffering and loss caused by war as well as the trauma inflicted on people who are forced to leave their countries. In an effort to alleviate this suffering, the EU has received 1 million Syrian refugees since the start of the conflict and has been for the past eleven years the main donor of humanitarian aid to the Syrian people.

With the above considerations, and our strong willingness to limit the human suffering caused by unjustified military intervention, wherever they occur, we stand united with partners, and remain determined to do what is necessary to preserve the integrity of the international rules-based order.