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 and Bosnia and Herzegovina*, the potential candidate country Georgia, as well as Andorra, Monaco and San Marino align themselves with this statement.

I thank the US presidency for the opportunity to address the Security Council. I also thank the briefers for highlighting the obligation of states to protect civilians and the need to urgently address the deportation and forcible transfer of children.

President,

Today we celebrate Ukraine’s Independence Day. Throughout the European Union, Ukrainians gathered together with EU citizens to mark the country’s independence since 1991. An independence that its neighbour, Russia, continues to attempt to destroy by force. That is why, today, we reiterate our resolute condemnation of Russia’s war of aggression, which constitutes a manifest violation of the UN Charter and international law.

Allow me to emphasise three points in my intervention, 1) the need for a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine; 2) the need to hold Russia and its political and military leadership accountable; and 3) the importance of addressing the global consequences of Russia’s aggression.

The international community has repeatedly expressed its desire for a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine in line with the UN Charter, the resolutions of the General Assembly, and international law. We welcome all efforts to this effect, including the recent meeting of National Security Advisors in Jeddah at the initiative of Ukraine. The EU will support Ukraine for as long as it takes and will continue its work to ensure the widest possible international support for the key principles and objectives of Ukraine’s Peace Formula. The upcoming UNGA High Level Week will constitute an important opportunity to further advance discussions with global partners. I underline that any initiative for sustainable peace in Ukraine must be based on full respect for its independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders.

The EU remains firmly committed to ensure that Russia is held fully accountable for its illegal war of aggression against Ukraine. The International Centre for the Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine has started its support operations in The Hague. The work to establish a tribunal for the prosecution of the crime of aggression against Ukraine continues. The EU welcomes the establishment of the Council of Europe’s Register of Damage [of Damage caused by the Aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine] and calls for work to continue, in line with the resolution of the UN General Assembly. Work towards the establishment of a compensation mechanism in line with the GA resolution will also continue.

Russia’s practice of forcibly transferring and deporting Ukrainian children is a violation of international humanitarian law and the UN Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine concluded that it amounts to war crimes. The arrest warrants by the International Criminal Court against the Russian President and the Commissioner of Children’s Rights are a key development to holding the perpetrators accountable for their most serious crimes under international law. The EU will continue to support the ICC in pursuing its mandate in the investigation into the situation in Ukraine.

We condemn Russia’s unilateral decision to terminate the Black Sea Grain Initiative. The initiative’s suspension immediately created widespread uncertainty on global markets increasing food prices, and exacerbated the dire situation of food importing countries, hurting the poorest and most vulnerable the most. The BSGI enabled the export of almost 33 million tonnes of grain and foodstuffs from Ukraine to 45 different countries, which played an instrumental role in reducing global food prices by over 23% since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Public data demonstrate that over half of the grain, and two thirds of the wheat, went to developing countries. The Initiative also ensured access to grain for the World Food Programme. Russia’s claims that its own agricultural exports are being blocked are not borne out by publicly available trade data, which show its exports are thriving.

Russia did not stop at pulling out of the BSGI. Just hours after withdrawing, it started destroying Ukraine’s grain storage facilities and port infrastructure, not only in the Black Sea itself but also in the Danube. The deliberate destruction of civilian infrastructure constitutes a violation of international humanitarian law.

We call on Russia to stop using food as a weapon, rejoin the Black Sea Grain Initiative and cease deliberate attacks on Ukrainian grain facilities and ports. The right to food is a human right and hunger must never be used as a political tool. The EU will continue to support the tireless efforts of the UN and Türkiye towards the resumption of the Black Sea Grain Initiative. We remain open to explore solutions with the UN that would contribute to the resumption of the grain deal. We will also continue to strengthen our EU-Ukraine ‘Solidarity Lanes’ as alternative routes for Ukrainian agricultural exports. The EU increased its financial support to countries and people most in need, providing 18 billion EUR to address food insecurity until 2024.

President,

I conclude by reiterating the EU’s unwavering support for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity as well as its inherent right of self-defence against Russia’s unprovoked, unjustified and illegal war of aggression. We demand that Russia immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw all of its military forces, proxies and military equipment from the entire territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders.

Thanks to the tremendous courage and resilience of the Ukrainian people, we can look forward to celebrating many more Ukrainian Independence Days in the future.

I thank you.

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