President,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union and its Member States.

The Candidate Countries North Macedonia*, Montenegro^*, Albania^*, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina^* and Georgia, and the EFTA country Liechtenstein, member of the European Economic Area, as well as Andorra and Monaco align themselves with this statement.

The EU reiterates its resolute condemnation of Russia’s illegal, unprovoked and unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine, which constitutes a manifest violation of international law, including the UN Charter, and the resolutions of the General Assembly.

The past weeks, Russia has intensified its attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, launching its largest missile and drone attacks since the beginning of its war. Russian attacks have led to over 30.000 civilian casualties as verified by the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission, and have caused major damage, including recently to the Dnipro Hydroelectric Power Plant, leaving more than one million Ukrainians without access to electricity and water. Such systematic air strikes against civilian objects and critical infrastructure are unacceptable and must stop immediately. They add to the growing evidence of war crimes, as reported by the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine.

Russia and its leadership must be held fully accountable for waging a war of aggression and for other most serious crimes under international law, as well as for the massive damage caused by its war. The EU is firmly committed to ensuring full accountability for all crimes committed in connection with Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, including victims’ rights to justice and reparation, as well as guarantees of non-repetition.

We also condemn the continued military support for Russia’s war of aggression provided by Iran, Belarus and the DPRK, and we continue to urge all countries not to provide weapons and military equipment, including missiles and drones or other material, such as dual-use goods. We further urge the DPRK and Russia to abide by the successive UN Security Council resolutions which clearly prohibit any arms exports or imports involving the DPRK.

According to the Ukraine Humanitarian Needs Response Plan, 14.6 million people are estimated to be in need of assistance across Ukraine. This is a country that before Russia’s war of aggression was a breadbasket, producing food for over 400 million people. EU Member States have provided temporary protection to around 4 million Ukrainian refugees. We continue the provision of humanitarian and civil protection assistance to Ukraine. Since February 2022, the EU and its Member States have provided more than EUR 3.2 billion in humanitarian funding for affected civilians.

Russia must enable full, safe and unhindered humanitarian access through the front lines and stop withholding aid from people in need in the areas it has temporarily occupied. It has the obligation to uphold international human rights and humanitarian law. We commend the brave efforts by humanitarian organisations and their personnel to deliver assistance, despite a hostile environment.

The humanitarian consequences of Russia’s war of aggression are not limited to Ukraine. Russia’s deliberate attacks on Ukraine’s grain storage and export facilities, as well as its actions to hinder the freedom of navigation in the Black Sea show it continues to weaponise food and deliberately undermines global food security. I stress the importance of security, stability and freedom of navigation in the Black Sea, which is vital for sustainable food exports.

President,

The path to a comprehensive, just and lasting peace is for the aggressor, Russia, to immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw all its troops and military equipment from the entire territory of Ukraine and respect its sovereignty and territorial integrity, in line with the decision of the General Assembly. And to stop at once its continued, systematic and brutal bombings of the country and its people.

I reaffirm the EU’s unwavering support for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders as well as its inherent right of self-defence in line with the UN Charter. The EU will continue to support Ukraine for as long as it takes. We invite partners across the world to join in this endeavour.

I thank you.

* North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.