1.Mr Chair, since July this year, the casualty rate of Russia’s shameful attacks o ncivilians has continued to increase, making September 2024 the deadliest month since Russia unleashed its unprovoked, illegal and unjustifiable war of aggression. According to the latest report of the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, 208 civilians were killed while 1,220 were injured in September alone. The UN report underlines that Russian attacks using missiles and aerial glide bombs across the country, particularly against the cities of Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia, contributed to the high numbers of casualties. At the same time, near the frontline, Russia’s attacks with unmanned aerial vehicles accounted for a high percentage of the casualties. We are also appalled by the reports of Russian UAVs targeting civilians in and around Kherson. The EU and its Member States continue to vociferously condemn, in the strongest possible terms, each and every one of these attacks and Russia’s disgraceful and outrageous war of aggression as a whole.

2.As Ukrainian civilians suffer, those rightfully fighting to protect their homeland against the Russian aggression are also subject to wholly unacceptable and deplorable treatment. The UN Human Rights Office has confirmed that, despicably, prisoners of war suffered from the systematic use of a wide range of different methods of torture, including sexual violence by their Russian captors. In addition, they are deprived of any communication with the outside world and are being denied by Russia humanitarian access by independent monitors.

3.Above all, Russian executions of Ukrainian POWs are not only happening, but even increasing. Reports indicate that at least 177 POWs have died in Russian captivity since February 2022. The EU and its Member States utterly condemn these killings which are another abhorrent example of Russia’s brutalisation of the Ukrainian people. The latest report by the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine indicated that widespread and systematic torture committed by the Russian authorities constitutes a crime against humanity. According to the Commission of Inquiry’s Chair, evidence exists ‘that the Russian authorities have acted pursuant to a coordinated state policy of torturing Ukrainian civilians and prisoners of war’. We reiterate that all perpetrators of these and all other war crimes must and will be held accountable.

4.We will continue to stand firmly by Ukraine and Ukrainians. As European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell said after the meeting of Foreign Affairs Council on 14 October, a meeting where Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha also debriefed EU Ministers, we cannot allow Russia’s President Putin ‘to weaponise winter’ as he ‘plans to put Ukraine into the dark and the cold [..] He failed last year with this tactic. He must fail again.’

5.In view of the dangerous escalation with the deployment of DPRK troops to Russia, we are coordinating with international partners on the matter, including on responses. As stated by the High Representative in the statement with our international partners on 5 November ‘We condemn in the strongest possible terms the increasing military cooperation between the DPRK and Russia, including the DPRK’s export and Russia’s unlawful procurement of DPRK ballistic missiles in breach of multiple UN Security Council resolutions, as well as Russia’s use of these missiles and munitions against Ukraine’. These destabilising and illegal actions endanger regional and international peace and security. We strongly call on Russia and the DPRK to immediately cease their unlawful military cooperation and to withdraw DPRK troops from Russia.

6.In the context of brutal Russian attacks against Ukraine, we condemn the repeated violations of EU Member States and other OSCE participating States’ airspace by the Russian Federation. The latest occurred in Romania on 17, 19 and 23 October and last Sunday in the Republic of Moldova, where two Russian drones, used to mislead Ukrainian air defences, crashed, endangering people’s lives. Violations of sovereign airspace are destabilising and irresponsible and carry the risk of escalation.

7.We have to continue addressing all these matters in this Forum. This is why we meet here every week, as mandated by our Ministers, and we thank the Chair for his continuous efforts.

8.Mr Chair, the EU and its Member States vigorously reiterate that Russia must immediately stop its war of aggression, put an end to this unbearable suffering and devastation, and completely and unconditionally withdraw all of its forces and military equipment from the entire territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders.

9.We also robustly condemn the continued military support for Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine provided by third countries, such as the DPRK, Belarus and Iran. We urge all countries not to provide any material or support for Russia’s war of aggression, which is a blatant violation of international law, including the UN Charter, and the OSCE core principles and commitments.

Thank you.

The Candidate Countries NORTH MACEDONIA*, MONTENEGRO*, ALBANIA*, UKRAINE, BOSNIA and HERZEGOVINA*, and GEORGIA, 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 Stabilisation and Association Process.