EU Statement – UN Security Council: Maintenance of International Peace and Security (Ukraine)

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Colleagues,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union and its Member States.

The Candidate Countries North Macedonia*, Montenegro^*, Albania^*, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina^*, and the EFTA country Liechtenstein, member of the European Economic Area, as well as Monaco and San Marino align themselves with this statement.

I would like to thank acting USG Joyce Msuya from OCHA for yet another sobering briefing, which again confronts us, only weeks after our last meeting, with the enormous, continuing, and even intensifying civilian cost of Russia's war of aggression. The EU commends the courage and professionalism of all humanitarian workers risking their lives to alleviate human suffering.

During the past two weeks, this Council has witnessed a series of additional massive Russian drone and missile attacks against cities throughout Ukraine, from Lviv to Poltava, from Kramatorsk to Kyiv, in open disregard of the repeated calls of Council members for such illegal attacks to stop immediately. On 26 August, Russia launched an unprecedented number of 236 missiles and drones. On 3 September, at least 55 people were killed and 328 injured in Poltava alone.

We repeat our call on Russia to immediately halt its illegal war of aggression, including its unrelentingair strikes against Ukraine's civilians and civilian and critical infrastructure. It has hit residential buildings, hospitals, schools, power plants and playgrounds. This is unacceptable under any circumstances. Ukraine has lost up to 80% of its pre-war thermal electricity production capacity. It is clear Russia is attempting to pile the pressure on the Ukrainian people ahead of a cold winter. It underlines the need for Ukraine to be able to exercise its legitimate right to self-defence under the UN Charter, to restore its territorial integrity and protect its existence as an independent and sovereign country.

We are very concerned by the recent reports indicating that Iran has supplied Russia with ballistic missiles. If confirmed true, this delivery would represent a substantive material escalation in Iran's support for Russia's illegal war of aggression. The EU will remain vigilant and if necessary, will respond swiftly and in coordination with international partners. We call upon all countries, including the DPRK and Belarus, to refrain from any actions that may amount to complicity in Russia's aggression against Ukraine.

As we have frequently heard from UN briefers in this Chamber, Russia has cut off an estimated 1.5 million Ukrainians from humanitarian aid. We call on it to respect its obligations under international humanitarian law and human rights law in the territories it temporarily occupies. Because while it wages a war of aggression, it shows no concern for the welfare of civilians in the areas it temporarily occupies. Russia has an obligation to facilitate full, safe, rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief for all civilians in need. It should also immediately cease torture, sexual violence and arbitrary detentions of civilians, as reported by the UN.

The EU is supporting Ukraine with emergency and recovery assistance in a wide variety of sectors such as energy, health, shelter, water, sanitation and hygiene. Since 2022 the European Commission has allocated 895 million euros for humanitarian aid in Ukraine. We have provided over 10.000 power generators and almost 3000 transformers to alleviate the consequences of Russia's strikes. We have provided more than 180 million EUR for humanitarian mine action to allow people to return to their homes and resume their economic activities. We continue supporting Ukrainian emergency services to assist the civilian population.

In our previous meeting, the Russian representative openly advertised his country's intentions to capture - or, in his words, 'liberate' -- Ukrainian villages and to alter their names and status, as part of Russia's attempted annexation of Ukrainian territories. Our credibility requires that such blatant violations of the UN Charter cannot go unanswered. All states have an obligation under international law to not recognize annexations. This includes not recognizing the results of Russia's so-called 'elections' in Crimea conducted last weekend.

Russia and its leadership must be held fully accountable for waging a war of aggression and for other most serious crimes under international law, as well as for the massive damage caused by its war. We recall the six arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court, including against the Russian President for the war crime of unlawful deportation and transfer of Ukrainian children. All State Parties to the Rome Statute are under the obligation to execute that arrest warrant.

Later this month, our leaders will gather in New York to recommit to the rules-based multilateral order, which the United Nations represents. The Summit of the Future, and the many other gatherings during High Level Week, offer a unique opportunity to re-mobilise international support towards a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace in Ukraine. Many proposals have been floated in this regard, including by members of this Council. What is undeniable, however, is that any peace must be based on the UN Charter and international law, as clearly laid out by the UN General Assembly.

I thank you.

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

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