EU Statement on the Russian Federation’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine
- Madame Chair, the European Union thanks you for convening this Special meeting of the Permanent Council. We are also grateful to the current and preceding OSCE Chairpersonships of Malta and North Macedonia, as well as to the OSCE Secretary General for their timely statements on the continuing and intensifying aerial attacks by Russia in its war against Ukraine over the New Year holidays, deploring civilian deaths.
- In light of recent particularly appalling attacks on civilians, claiming numerous lives, we reiterate our strongest condemnation of all violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law committed in the context of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. Notably, two deadly Russian attacks – on 29th December and 2nd January, claimed the highest number of casualties in Ukraine over this period, with at least 50 people killed and nearly 300 more injured. Since the beginning of 2024, Russian attacks have continued on a daily basis, hitting Ukrainian towns such as Pokrovsk, Novomoskovsk, Kharkiv, Kherson, and Odesa on 6th, 8th, 10th, 12th, 17th January respectively. In the latest barrage of 23rd January, at least 18people were killed and 130 others were injured in Kyiv and in the Pavlohrad, Kharkiv, Balakliia, and Kherson regions of Ukraine. We express our deepest condolences to the families and friends of those killed or injured. Our thoughts are with those who fear for the missing.
- In the past month alone, a wide range of Ukrainian civilian infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed by Russian forces, including residential buildings, a maternity hospital, schools, kindergartens, a hotel and energy infrastructure. This adds to the growing evidence, as reported by the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine, indicating that Russian forces deliberately and systematically target civilians and civilian objects in Ukraine. Deliberately directing attacks against civilians and civilian objects constitutes a war crime.
- The European Union will continue to unequivocally condemn all attacks by Russia and its strategy of terror, aimed at breaking the resolve of the Ukrainian people. The Ukrainian Day of Unity on 22nd January, was another reminder of the steadfast unity and resilience of the Ukrainian people in the face of Russia’s terror.
- Russia and its leadership must be and will be held fully accountable for waging a war of aggression and for the massive damage caused by its war. Russia bears responsibility for the loss of life occurring as part of its war of aggression.
- We categorically reject the Kremlin’s propaganda and disinformation campaigns, actively disseminated in public fora, its state-controlled media outlets, and through its propagandists and diplomatic channels, including within this Organisation. Let us repeat: no propaganda will change either the de jure, or the de facto situation around Russia’s war of aggression or conceal Russia’s blatant intention to subjugate Ukraine. The EU is committed to intensifying its efforts with partners to counter false Russian narratives and disinformation about the war, in a systematic, long-lasting and comprehensive manner.
- We will continue to stand with Ukraine and its brave and resilient people for as long as it takes, for Ukraine to rightfully defend itself against Russia’s brutal war of aggression and to win the just and lasting peace it deserves. To this end, we will continue to provide Ukraine with strong political, financial, economic, humanitarian, military and diplomatic support.
- We reaffirm our unwavering support for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders. The EU and its Member States will continue their intensive global outreach efforts and cooperation with Ukraine and partners from all regions of the world to ensure the widest possible international support for a comprehensive, just and lasting peace and the key principles and objectives of Ukraine’s Peace Formula, with a view to a future Global Peace Summit. The latest fourth meeting of National Security Advisers on Ukraine’s Peace Formula, held in Davos on 14th January, has been the most widely attended so far, reinforcing the trend of growing international efforts to bring Russia‘s war to an end in a way that is just and lasting for Ukraine and the whole world.
- In conclusion, we once again demand that Russia immediately stop its war of aggression against Ukraine, and completely and unconditionally withdraw all its forces and military equipment from the entire territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders. We also condemn the continued military support for Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine provided by Iran, Belarus and the DPRK. We urge all countries not to provide material or other support for Russia’s war of aggression, which is a blatant violation of international law, including the UN Charter, and the OSCE’s core principles and commitments.
