EU Statement – UN Security Council: Open briefing on Ukraine

 - As delivered -

Madame President,

I address the Security Council on behalf of the EU and its Member States. The Candidate Countries North Macedonia*, Montenegro^* and Albania^*, the country of the Stabilisation and Association Process and potential candidate Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the EFTA countries Iceland and Liechtenstein, members of the European Economic Area, as well as the Republic of Moldova, Georgia, Andorra, Monaco and San Marino align themselves with this statement.

I wanted to start by congratulating you, Madame President, for the United Kingdom for assuming the Presidency for the month of April, for convening this meeting and also inviting us to speak. I also acknowledge the Presidency of March of the United Arab Emirates. I want to thank the Secretary-General, Under Secretary-Generals DiCarlo and Griffiths for their presentations, and I want to express our full support, solidarity and respect for the heroic people of Ukraine as embodied by the message this morning by President Zelenskyy.

Madame President,

41 days ago, Russia decided to wage a war of aggression against Ukraine in a blatant violation of international law, of the principles of the UN Charter and of the acquis of the OSCE, an affront to the rules-based order and to the global security and stability. We have heard and seen again today the tremendous cost to the people of Ukraine.

The dramatic consequences of Russia’s war of choice are well known: thousands of lives have been lost, 10 million people – most of them women and children - have been forced to leave their homes. Over 500 schools and 52 hospitals have been shelled, entire cities have been razed to the ground. The unfolding drama in Mariupol and the images from Bucha stain our common humanity. Russia must stop this senseless act of violence.

The EU condemns in the strongest terms Russia's unjustified and unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine. We demand that Russia immediately stop its military aggression, immediately and unconditionally withdraw all forces from the entire territory of Ukraine, and fully respect Ukraine’s territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence within its internationally recognised borders, as demanded by the United Nations General Assembly.

We condemn in the strongest possible terms the reported atrocities committed by the Russian armed forces in a number of occupied Ukrainian towns. Haunting images of massacres with large numbers of civilian deaths and casualties, as well as destruction of civilian infrastructure show the true face of Russia’s brutal war of aggression. These massacres will be inscribed in the list of atrocities committed by Russia on European soil. The Russian authorities are responsible for these crimes, committed while they had effective control of the area. They are subject to the international law of occupation.

Russia is directing attacks against the civilian population and is targeting civilian objects, including hospitals, medical facilities, schools and shelters. These war crimes must stop immediately. Those responsible will be held to account in accordance with international law. We welcome the International Court of Justice’s provisional measures ordering Russia to suspend military operations immediately. We fully support the investigation launched by the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court into war crimes and crimes against humanity, as well as the work of the independent Commission of Inquiry. The EU is assisting the Ukrainian Prosecutor General and Civil Society in the collection and preservation of evidence of the war crimes. It is clear, there must be and there will be accountability.

The EU and its Member States are providing shelter for the more than four million refugees that fled Russia’s violence. They do so regardless of nationality, ethnicity, religion or race. We have adopted sanctions against the Russian government, its financial and defence sectors and those individuals enabling and financing the aggression.

We have committed significant funding to the UN Humanitarian Flash Appeal and Regional Refugee Response Plan for Ukraine. So far, the EU and its Member States have mobilised over 1.1 billion Euros in emergency aid. This comes on top of the 2.4 billion Euros in humanitarian, emergency and early recovery assistance that the EU and its Member States have provided to Ukraine since 2014.

In the largest ever operation under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, 29 countries – all EU Member States together with Norway and Turkey – have responded to the request for assistance from Ukraine. As of 4 April, over 13.000 tonnes of medicines, hospital equipment, ambulances and firefighting equipment, food aid and energy supplies have arrived in Ukraine. European leaders have set up a Ukraine Solidarity Trust Fund to channel support to post-war reconstruction. And at a pledging event on 9 April with Canada, we will further showcase that we stand in words and deeds with the courageous people of Ukraine.

Madame President,

After the Security Council was unable to take action, the General Assembly demonstrated once again less than two weeks ago the overwhelming international rejection of the Russian aggression and overwhelming support towards addressing the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. The international community demanded safe and unhindered passed for civilians fleeing violence as well as humanitarian access to those in need. International Humanitarian Law must be respected.  

The dramatic consequences of Russia’s war against Ukraine are not limited to Europe; they are global. Ukrainian farmers are prevented from sowing as a result of Russian shelling. Ships filled with wheat are blocked in Black Sea ports by Russian military forces. As a result, food prices have rocketed, pushing people into poverty and threatening to destabilize entire regions. The poorest countries, as we have heard, are the most vulnerable to shocks in food prices. All this is a direct result of the war, despite Russia’s cynical attempts to shift the blame.

Madame President,

The EU and its Member States are fully mobilised to end the war in line with international law and the UN Charter. At the same time, crises the world over need our urgent attention. The EU will continue to provide humanitarian and development support to our partner countries, from North Africa to the Middle East and from sub-Saharan Africa to Asia. We are scaling up our multilateral action to provide support to countries with acute food insecurity and are committed to keeping global trade routes open so agricultural staples can feed the world. The EU has pledged 2.5 billion Euros for international cooperation related to nutrition for the period 2021-2024.

We also fully support the work of the UN to deliver humanitarian assistance, protect refugees and work towards a ceasefire. With a particular focus on food security, we will contribute to the work of the Global Crisis Response Group to deal with the global social and economic effects of the war. We heard your recommendations this morning, Secretary-General, and we have already launched a strategy for safeguarding food security and reinforcing the resilience of food systems, backed by increased assistance.

Madame President,

Once again, we call on Russia to cease the destruction of innocent lives across Ukraine and immediately and unconditionally withdraw all its troops. We call for an immediate ceasefire, safe passage to civilians trapped in war zones and uninterrupted humanitarian access.

We stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine and all other people affected by the war of Russian aggression. We stand in support of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. And we will continue to work diligently with the UN and other partners to end this aggression and address the humanitarian needs.

I thank you, Madame President.

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