OSCEForum for Security Co-operation N°1043 Vienna, 3 May 2023

1. Madam Chair,Russia's illegal, unprovoked and unjustified full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine has entered its 15th month. The European Union and its Member States reiterate their strongest condemnation of this wilful and blatant international law violation by Russia. We recall that the principles of States' sovereignty and territorial integrity and of refraining from thethreat or use of force remain non-negotiable. Russia's illegal actions are the most serious challenge to the rules-based international order. However, the resolute stance taken by the international community confirms the overwhelming and firm rejection of Russia’s illegal actions and further exposes its isolation. Aggression must never pay.

2. The Kremlin launched an illegal war of extreme brutality, grossly violating the fundamental principles of international law, including international humanitarian law. For the last 14months, we have been receiving reports on deliberate targeting of Ukrainian civilians and critical civilian infrastructure, systematic bombing and shelling, razing whole towns to the ground, indiscriminate us of cluster munitions and white phosphorus bombs in populated areas, torture and killing of prisoners of war, sexual and gender-basedviolence, so-called "filtration camps", forced transfers and unlawful deportations of protected persons to Russia, including children.

3. In the last few days, Russian forces attacked Ukrainian cities again with cruise missiles and UAVs. While Ukrainian air defences intercepted most of the missiles, one hit a high-rise building in the city of Uman in the Cherkasy region last Friday, killing 23 persons, including six children. A young woman and a three-year-old child also perished in Dnipro due to Russia's shelling. On 1 May, two people diedand40,including five children were injured in an attack on Pavlohrad in Dnipropetrovsk region. These heinous attacks which we strongly condemn were conducted at night when civilians sleeping in their homes were particularly vulnerable. A few hours after its destruction of a multi-store apartment building in Uman, theRussian Ministry of Defence published a post on Telegram with the launch of a missile andthe title “exactly on target”. Such repulsive commentary is shameful.

4. Madam Chair, we live in a digital age and this war is probably the best-documented conflict in modern history. Hence the truth of Russia's brutality in Ukraine cannot be hidden. There will be no impunity for the perpetrators and all those responsible for war crimes and other most serious crimes in connection with Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.

5. Regrettably, Russia has shown no sign of complying with the three resolutions adopted by the IAEA Board of Governors in 2022, or the previous consensus resolutions of the IAEA General Conference which state that “any armed attack on and threat against nuclear facilities devoted to peaceful purposes constitutes a violation of the principles of the UN Charter, international law and the Statute of the Agency”. Since the start of the war, each of the “seven indispensable pillars for ensuring nuclear safety and security in an armed conflict”, advanced by the Director General of the IAEA last year, has been compromised as a result of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and in particular its illegal seizure of the ZNPP. This gambling with Europe’s largest nuclear power plant and nuclear safety and security must stop. All Russian personnel, including that of ROSATOM, armed forces and military equipment have to be withdrawn from the ZNPP, and its full control has to be returned to its rightful owner, Ukraine.

6. We unequivocally stand with Ukraine and the Ukrainian people for as long as it takes to help Ukraine win the war and, thereafter a sustainable peace. In response to Russia's war of aggression, overall support and assistance to Ukraine and its people by the EU and its Member States so far amount to over EUR 68 billion. This amount includes over 13 billion euros of military support. Moreover, the EU Military Assistance Mission will have trained up to 30,000 Ukrainian troops in 2023.

7. In this context andin response to numerous attempts of Russian disinformation on this issue, we emphasise that the military equipment provided by EU Member States to Ukraine is entirely in line with international law and EU law. States have the right to defend themselves according to Article51of the Charter of the United Nations and to acquire legitimate means to this end. These norms do not prohibit exports to a state victim of external aggression.

8. The European Union and its Member States reiterate their demand to immediately release the illegally detained OSCE staff members and return the illegally seized OSCE SMMvehicles by Russia to their legitimateowner, the OSCE participating States.

9. We urge Russiato stop its war of aggression andtoimmediately, completely,and unconditionallywithdraw all its troops andmilitary equipment from theentire territory of Ukrainewithin its internationallyrecognised borders. We also urgetheBelarusian authorities to ceasetheir support of and refrain fromany further involvement in or facilitation of Russia's illegal war of aggression.

10.MadamChair, wearecommittedtowork withUkraine and our international partners to find ajust, lasting and comprehensivepeace based on respect for international law, including theUN Charter, Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationallyrecognised borders. The EU supports President Zelenskyy's Peace Formula and is ready to work withUkraine onthe 10-point peaceplan. We will continuetostandin solidaritywithand support Ukraine and theUkrainian people fighting for freedom, sovereignty, and their European future.

Thank you.

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

* NorthMacedonia, Montenegro, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina continueto be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.