EU statement, OSCE Warsaw Human Dimension Conference, 5 - 15 October 2026, Plenary Session 1: Humanitarian Issues I

1. For the fifth consecutive year since Russia’s full-scale invasion, we meet against the backdrop of a continued deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Ukraine. Russia, through its war of aggression, continues to undermine the fundamental principles of the Helsinki Final Act and to violate international human rights law (IHRL) and international humanitarian law (IHL). Above all, civilians remain disproportionately affected, bearing the most severe consequences. The EU condemns in the strongest possible terms all atrocities committed by Russia in Ukraine.

2. According to UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU), civilian casualties in Ukraine have risen steadily from month to month and from year to year, in a disturbing escalation. In the first seven months of 2026, more than 12.000 victims were recorded, marking the deadliest year since Russia launched its full-scale war. In July alone, 437 civilians were killed and 2610 injured, representing the highest monthly death toll since May 2022. Between January and June of this year, civilian casualties resulting from long-range weapons increased by 60 per cent compared with the same period in 2025. These figures are outrageous.

3. ODIHR’s ninth interim report confirms multiple violations of IHL and IHRL. According to the report verified civilian casualties increased by 45 per cent between December 2025 and May 2026 compared with the previous year. Over the winter, hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian households were left without electricity, heating and water, while railways, ports and first responders were repeatedly targeted. Such acts may amount to war crimes.

4. The situation of Ukrainian children remains among our gravest concerns. The findings of the latest report under the Moscow Mechanism are devastating. Russia is systematically subjecting Ukrainian children to militarization, indoctrination, coercion and other repressive practices aimed at, inter alia, erasing Ukrainian identity and compelling loyalty to the occupying power. We reiterate our strongest call on Russia to cease these practices and to ensure the immediate, safe and unconditional return of all Ukrainian children. 

5. The EU remains firmly committed to ensure full accountability for all violations of IHL and IHRL. We will also continue to demand the immediate and unconditional release of all unlawfully detained civilians, including the three OSCE staff members— Vadym Golda, Maksym Petrov and Dmytro Shabanov. We also urge Russia to fully comply with its obligations under IHL in its treatment of prisoners of war. 

6. We commend ODIHR for its monitoring activities, which, together with OSCE Human Dimension Mechanisms, play a vital role in documenting violations and contributing to accountability for international crimes and human rights violations. We further underscore the indispensable role of civil society organisations and human rights defenders in documenting violations, supporting victims, promoting accountability and advancing the protection of human rights. 

7. Finally, we reiterate EU’s steadfast commitment to a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine, grounded in international law, the principles of the UN Charter and the Helsinki Final Act.

Albania, Andorra, Georgia, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Republic of Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, San Marino and Ukraine align themselves with this statement.