OSCE Forum for Security Co-operation N°1062 Vienna, 15 November 2023

1.Last week, during the very timely joint FSC-PC we discussed the Mental HealthImpacts of War and the devastating trauma suffered by armed forces’ personneland civilians among others as a result of Russia’s illegal, unprovoked andunjustified war of aggression against Ukraine. While not as immediately evidentas the physical harm, war’s mental health impact can be very much long term andjust as injurious, making our discussion especially relevant to security and thework of this Forum. We thank you again, madam Chair, for putting this importanttopic on FSC’s and Permanent Council’s agenda.

2.In the meantime, yet again we are witness to the very physical impacts of Russia’swar of aggression which is causing appalling and shameful suffering anddestruction. Indiscriminate, yet targeted and brutal attacks continue on civiliansand civilian objects and infrastructures.

3.Since we last met in this Forum, other worrying events have also taken placebeyond the battlefield. On 2 November, Russia proceeded with the revocation ofits ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), in thecontext of its illegal war of aggression against Ukraine and of irresponsible nuclearrhetoric and threats, some specifically pointing at a resumption of nuclear tests.The EU deeply deplores this decision by Russia which compromises the work ofuniversalising the Treaty. The EU and its Member States call on Russia tocontinue to comply with the provisions of the Treaty, including the testingmoratorium. We recall that all EU Member States have ratified the CTBT and havebeen working towards its strengthening and entry into force for many years.

4.The EU and its Member States are also deeply concerned by reports about armstransfers and military cooperation between the Democratic People’s Republic ofKorea (DPRK) and the Russian Federation. The EU and its Member States urgeRussia to refrain from any exchanges of military equipment or ammunition andabide by the relevant UN Security Council resolutions, including resolutions 1718, 1874

and 2270, clearly prohibiting any arms exports or imports involving the DPRK. Russia must not violate its own co-authored UN Security Council resolutions.

5.All these actions show how the Russian war of aggression remains an existential threat to security, democracy and prosperity in Europe and at global level. Millions of people around the world are put at risk of hunger and malnutrition due to the Russian continuous reckless blockade of Ukrainian ports and its refusal to resume the Black Sea Grain Initiative.

6.As such, Russia’s actions put the very rules-based order at risk. The EU and its Member States will not give up in our endeavours to restore it. Nor will we give up in our unwavering support to Ukraine. As President von der Leyen made clear during her speech in Kyiv on 4 November ‘All Ukrainians are standing up against Russian brutality. [..], there is only one thing that we, in the rest of Europe, must do. And that is to stand alongside Ukraine for as long as it takes.’ Our support was further reiterated by the European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy in his joint statement with G7 ministers on 8 November, where they also supported Ukraine in further developing President Zelenskyy’s Peace Formula.

7.Madame Chair, the EU and its Member States reiterate that Russia must immediately stop its war of aggression, and completely and unconditionally withdraw all of its forces and military equipment from the entire territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders. We reiterate our strong call on the Belarusian authorities to stop providing support to Russia’s war of aggression, and to abide by their international obligations.

Thank you.

The Candidate Countries NORTH MACEDONIA*, MONTENEGRO*, ALBANIA*, UKRAINE, the REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA and BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA*, the Potential Candidate Country GEORGIA, and the EFTA countries ICELAND, LIECHTENSTEIN and NORWAY, members of the European Economic Area, as well as ANDORRA and SAN MARINO align themselves with this statement.

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