HRC61 - EU Statement - Interactive dialogue with the High Commissioner on Ukraine
United Nations Human Rights Council
61th session
Interactive dialogue with the High Commissioner on Ukraine
26 March 2026
EU Statement
The European Union thanks the High Commissioner for his update on Ukraine.
The EU condemns in the strongest possible terms Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.
The EU is deeply concerned over the increasing number of civilians killed and injured, due to Russia’s use of drones and explosive weapons, including with wide area effect in urban areas, and on other civilian infrastructure and civilians.
According to the OHCHR, since Russia launched its war of aggression against Ukraine, four years of hostilities have killed more than 15,000 civilians, including 739 children, and injured over 41,000.
In their latest report, the OHCHR also documents the forcible transfer and deportation of protected persons by Russian authorities from the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine.
The EU condemns the forcible transfers and deportations by Russia. The EU calls on Russia to immediately end the grave violation of child deportation and forcible transfer which – according to the Commission of Inquiry – amount to crimes against humanity and war crimes, to stop the illegal adoption of Ukrainian children and to ensure their immediate and safe return to Ukraine.
The OHCHR reports also state that Russian authorities have executed civilian detainees, including children, and prisoners of war and subjected POWs and civilian detainees to widespread and systematic torture and ill-treatment, including with the pervasive use of sexual violence.
The EU condemns in the strongest possible terms Russia’s continuing violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law in Ukraine, including executions of prisoners of war and civilian detainees, systematic and widespread use of torture and other forms of ill-treatment.
We demand that Russia cease its aggression. The EU remains committed to a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine, grounded in the principles of the UN Charter and international law and welcomes all efforts to that end.