OSCE Permanent Council No.1493

Vienna, 24 October 2024

EU Statement on the Russian Federation’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine

1. Once again, the EU condemns in the strongest possible terms Russia’s unprovoked, unjustifiable and illegal war of aggression against Ukraine, which is a blatant violation of international law, including the UN Charter, and OSCE core principles and commitments. We urge the aggressor, Russia, to immediately stop its war of aggression, and to completely and unconditionally withdraw all its forces and military equipment from the entire territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders.
2. There can be no impunity for war crimes, crimes against humanity and other crimes committed in the context of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, including the crime of aggression. All those responsible must and will be held accountable.
3. The EU remains steadfast in its support for Ukraine and reaffirms its unwavering commitment to providing continued multifaceted support to Ukraine and its people for as long as it takes and as intensely as needed, based on Ukraine’s urgent needs. The full-scale invasion of Ukraine is also an attack on a free and democratic Europe. The EU will stand by Ukraine as it fights to retain its independence and sovereignty and regain its territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders.
4. Through its defensive operations to diminish Russia’s capacity to wage its war of aggression, Ukraine is exercising its inherent right to self-defence, in full accordance with international law and as enshrined in Article 51 of the UN Charter.
5. The EU reiterates its firm support for a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in accordance with international law, including the UN Charter, and in line with the key principles and objectives of Ukraine’s Peace Formula, with full respect for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
6. The EU condemns any futile attempts by Russia to forcibly and illegally integrate or annex parts of Ukraine’s territory. We reiterate that any such attempts constitute a blatant violation of international law, including the UN Charter, and all states have an obligation under international law to not recognise such annexations. Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, Luhansk, as well as Crimea are Ukraine.
7. Executions of Ukrainian prisoners of war by Russia are increasing, with at least 177 prisoners of war having died in Russian captivity since the beginning of Russia’s war of aggression. Nine Ukrainian prisoners of war were reportedly shot by Russian troops in the Kursk region on 10 October and 16 prisoners of war on 1 October in Donetsk oblast after their surrender. The EU strongly condemns these killings, which represent grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions. They demonstrate Russia’s continued and systematic disregard for international law, and in particular, international humanitarian law. Russia has clear obligations under the United Nations Charter and international law it must fulfil.

8. The EU also strongly condemns the repeated violation of the airspace of some EU Member States, such as the recent incidents on 17th and 19th of October involving drones over Romania. Russia must immediately stop these dangerous and irresponsible acts.
9. Another grave violation of international law is Russia's repeated illegal conscription in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, forcing Ukrainians to fight against their homeland and their own people.
   
10. We will continue to demand the immediate release by Russia of all individuals unlawfully deprived of their liberty, including the three arbitrarily detained OSCE officials, and their safe return to their Ukrainian families and communities.
11. The EU condemns the persistent shelling by Russia of Ukraine’s critical energy and civilian infrastructure. We support all efforts to urgently increase Ukraine’s energy security before the winter and address the immediate humanitarian and civil protection needs of the Ukrainian population while making Ukraine’s energy system more resilient in the long-term.
12. We reiterate that any action that endangers the safety and security of nuclear facilities is unacceptable and call for further integration of Ukraine’s energy system with the EU’s.
13. The EU also remains deeply concerned about the fate of all Ukrainian children unlawfully transferred by Russia within the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine or unlawfully deported to Russia and Belarus. We condemn the military re-education and indoctrination, as well as the violation of these children’s rights to their Ukrainian nationality, identity, name and family relations by Russia, as documented by the May 2023 Moscow Mechanism report and other international monitoring mechanisms. The EU reiterates its urgent call on Russia and Belarus to immediately ensure their safe return to Ukraine. We welcome initiatives to help bring Ukrainian children home to their families and communities, including the upcoming Ministerial Conference on the Human Dimensions of Ukraine’s 10-Point Peace Formula in Ottawa on 30-31 October.
14. We recall the six arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court, including against President Putin for the war crime of the unlawful deportation and transfer of Ukrainian children. All State Parties to the Rome Statute are under the obligation to execute arrest warrants issued by the ICC.
15. We condemn the continued military support for Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine provided by Belarus, as well as Iran and the DPRK. We continue to 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.