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OSCE Permanent Council No.1490 Vienna, 3 October 2024

03.10.2024 Press and information team of the Delegation to UN and OSCE in Vienna

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. Trough 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 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.
6. On 28 September, we were appalled by yet another double-tap attack by Russia in Ukraine on a hospital in Sumy. Our thoughts are with the families of those killed and injured. There can never be any justification for attacking medical facilities. Intentionally directing attacks against civilians and civilian objects is a war crime. The EU once again urges Russia to uphold international law, comply with its international commitments, and ensure that civilians are protected.
7. During its recent update to the Human Rights Council, the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine highlighted new evidence detailing the systematic and widespread use of torture by Russian authorities against Ukrainian civilians and prisoners of war held in the temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories and Russia. The evidence points to a coordinated use of personnel from specific services of the Russian Federation involved in torture across all the detention facilities investigated by the Commission, and the recurrent use of sexual violence, mainly against male victims. The HRMMU, in its most recent Civilian Update, indicates that several factors suggest supervisors in detention facilities were aware of this treatment and either tolerated it or took no action to prevent it. Additionally, some public figures in the Russian Federation have explicitly encouraged the inhumane treatment and even the killing of Ukrainian POWs.
8. The EU condemns these violations of IHL. Russia must ensure that prisoners of war receive the protection and humane treatment to which they are entitled and grant the ICRC regular access to all persons deprived of their liberty. The EU willcontinue to demand the immediate release by Russia of all individuals unlawfully deprived of their liberty, including the three arbitrarily detained OSCE officials.
9. 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 right 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.
10. 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.
11. Russia's ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine continues to pose a grave threat tonuclear safety and security, with potentially severe consequences for Ukraine and its neighbouring countries, as well as wider global repercussions. The EU once again calls on Russia to unconditionally implement the IAEA Board and General Conference resolutions, including the recent resolution on "Nuclear safety, security, and safeguards in Ukraine," adopted on 20 September, as well as the UN General Assembly Resolution on "Safety and Security of Nuclear Facilities of Ukraine, including the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant", adopted on 11 July.
12. In light of the UNGA High-Level Week, 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.
13. We condemn the continued military support for Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine provided by Belarus, as well as Iran and the DPRK. The EU strongly condemns the recent transfer of Iranian-made ballistic missiles to Russia, which is a direct threat to European security and represents a substantive material escalation from the provision of Iranian UAVs and ammunition. 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.