EU Statement on Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, OSCE Forum for Security Co-operation N°1142

Mr Chair, on the night between 1 and 2 July less than a day after the latest meeting of this Forum, Russia launched waves of attack with over 70 missiles and almost 500 drones targeting Kyiv as well as other cities across Ukraine. Reports indicate that in the deadliest Russian strike on Ukraine’s capital this year, at least 30 people were killed while more than 90 were wounded with most of them requiring hospitalisation. Shortly after on the night of 5 and 6 July, Russia launched another large-scale attack on Ukraine, killing 28 people in the Kyiv region. The EU Ambassador to Ukraine provided her first-hand account of the events during the first July attack: “Seemed like large parts of the city were on fire. People spent the night in bomb shelters. Many of those who did not make it there in time were killed or are now fighting for their lives in hospital. As I write these words, many people are still trapped beneath the rubble of burning buildings.” In finishing her message, she also underlined that “We are here to do our job, and we will continue to do it”.

The EU and its Member States will continue providing their multi-faceted support to Ukraine and its people, including political, financial, economic, humanitarian, military and diplomatic support. Last week, the EU started disbursing EUR 6 billion under the EUR 90 billion support loan to strengthen Kyiv’s defences.

Regrettably, in contravention to international humanitarian law, Russia’s attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure are not uncommon, rather they are a part of the daily reality of Ukraine and its people as they face Russia’s war of aggression. None of these actions can be justified. As indicated in the United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine report published last week, civilian deaths increased over the last six months until the end of May this year. The report also detailed what it called systematic strikes on energy facilities. It described that Russian armed forces systematically and repeatedly targeted energy facilities across Ukraine throughout the 2025-2026 winter months, often using hundreds of weapons in coordinated attacks. According to the UN, Russian winter attacks also systematically and repeatedly targeted centralised heating infrastructure, which supplies heating and hot water to most Ukrainian urban households. The attacks disrupted heating to hundreds of thousands of civilians, leaving many without heating and hot water for weeks as temperatures fell below -20°C in the coldest winter in Ukraine since 2010.
The EU and its Member States resolutely condemn Russia’s illegal, unprovoked and unjustifiable war of aggression against Ukraine, which constitutes a manifest violation of international law, including the UN Charter, as well as the OSCE’s core principles and commitments.

The only way forward remains a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine based on the principles of the UN Charter and international law, underpinned by robust and credible security guarantees for Ukraine and respecting Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. Borders must not be changed by force, the aggressor cannot be rewarded and Ukraine’s long-term security and ability to defend itself must be guaranteed.

We also reaffirm our strong commitment to ensuring full accountability for war crimes and the other most serious crimes committed in connection with Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.

The EU and its Member States call on Russia to stop its aggression and immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw all of its forces and military equipment from the entire territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders.
We also urge all countries to immediately cease any assistance to Russia in its war of aggression against Ukraine, whether direct or indirect, and notably through the provision of dual-use goods and components. In particular, we strongly condemn the deployment of the DPRK’s military forces in the war against Ukraine as well as the continued military support provided to Russia by Belarus, Iran and the DPRK, among others.

Thank you.

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