EU Statement on the Russian Federation’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine, OSCE Permanent Council No. 1578 - Vienna, 24 September 2026

1. The European Union strongly condemns Russia’s intensified drone and missile strikes against Ukraine, which continue to cause civilian casualties. July and August were the deadliest months for Ukrainian civilians since the start of the war. We are appalled by Russia’s repeated use of the so-called “double tap” tactic, most recently in Kramatorsk and in Odesa, putting rescue operations at risk and increasing the number of victims. Intentionally directing attacks against rescue personnel or those assisting civilians constitutes a serious violation of international humanitarian law.

2. Russia has also intensified attacks on Ukrainian ports, shipping lanes, grain storage and agricultural export infrastructure, deliberately undermining Ukraine’s ability to produce and export food. Russia is not just waging war on Ukraine; it is also instrumentalising food insecurity far beyond the region.

3. Russia’s continued aggression only strengthens our determination to intensify support for Ukraine and increase pressure on Russia. We expect Russia to demonstrate genuine political to agree to a full, immediate and unconditional ceasefire and to engage seriously in meaningful negotiations.

Mr. Chair,

4. The European Union supports all diplomatic efforts aimed at achieving a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine, grounded in international law, including the principles of the UN Charter, as well as the Helsinki Final Act.  We remain determined to ensure accountability for all violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law. 

5. On the second anniversary of the death of the Ukrainian journalist Viktoriia Roshchyna, we reiterate our call for an independent investigation and for bringing those responsible to justice. Her death is a stark reminder of the grave dangers faced by journalists reporting on Russia’s war of aggression and of the brutality of Russia’s system of detention. According to OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, around 27 Ukrainian journalists remain in Russian captivity.  We demand their immediate and unconditional release, along with all unlawfully detained civilians.

6. We welcome the return of 23 children and teenagers from Russian occupation in the past week under the Bring Kids Back UA initiative. These children have endured intimidation, coercion and other repressive practices. Their stories provide further evidence of Russia’s systematic policies aimed at erasing Ukrainian identity and violating the rights of the child, as clearly documented in the latest Moscow Mechanism report. Thousands of Ukrainian children have been documented as deported or forcibly transferred, while only a fraction have returned. There cannot be a just peace without the return of all Ukrainian children who have been deported to the Russian Federation or forcibly transferred within the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.

7.  Many more children suffer as a result of Russia’s war of aggression. We welcome the opening of three new “Tvii” spaces in Ukraine, in Zakarpattia, under the OSCE Support Programme for Ukraine, providing psychosocial support to children affected by the war and to their families. The OSCE plays and will continue to play a role in view of a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.

Mr. Chair, 

8. The European Union unequivocally condemns the illegal organisation of so-called “elections” by the Russian Federation in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, namely the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the City of Sevastopol, as well as in parts of the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions. These so-called “elections” represent yet another blatant violation by Russia of international law, including the UN Charter, and of Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, Luhansk and Crimea are — and will remain — Ukraine.

9. We 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 Iran, Belarus and the DPRK, among others.

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