EU Statement – UN Security Council: Maintenance of peace and security of 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^*, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina^*and Georgia, as well as Andorra, Monaco and San Marino align themselves with this statement.

I would like to thank ASG Jenčafrom DPPA for yet another sobering briefing.

As we approach the 1000-day mark of Russia's war of aggression, its civilian toll becomes ever more deplorable. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has documented a 45% increase in civilian casualties in June, July and August, compared with the previous three-month period, a tragic trend that continued into September. At the same time, we are witnessing a systematic and deliberate campaign by Russia to target Ukraine's civilian infrastructure, in particular its energy production and transmission capacity. Ukraine has lost up to 70% of its pre-war electricity production capacity, under a Russian plan to weaponize energy, against the development needs of Ukraine, and the most basic human needs of its people, in violation of international law.

It is clear Russia is attempting to pile the pressure on the Ukrainian people ahead of a freezing winter. We repeat our call on Russia to immediately halt its war of aggression, including its unrelentingstrikes against Ukraine's civilians and civilian infrastructure. The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission has assessed that such attacks have been of a widespread and systematic nature considering the number of regions affected, the high precision of weapons involved, and the scale of harm inflicted on civilians.

We are also concerned about Russia's treatment of Ukrainian prisoners of war, with at least 177 prisoners of war having died in Russian captivity since the beginning of Russia's war of aggression, according to reliable sources. In addition, the UN has confirmed the widespread and systematic use of a wide range of different methods of torture and ill-treatment, including sexual violence, against Ukrainian prisoners of war by their Russian captors. Russia demonstrates continued and systematic disregard for international law. The EU condemns the prisoners' lack of access to the outside world and the denial of humanitarian access for independent monitors. International humanitarian law, including the Geneva Convention relative to the treatment of prisoners of war, must be fully respected.

Russia's disregard for human life also extends to journalists as exemplified by the death of Ukrainian journalist Victoria Roshchyna while in illegal arbitrary Russian detention. The EU remains deeply concerned about Russia's ongoing harassment, intimidation, and violence against journalists and media workers covering war zones and frontlines also through the issue of international arrest warrants.

Russia is also intensifying its efforts to disrupt the Black Sea corridor with attacks on civilian port infrastructure and civilian vessels in and around Odesa. Ships from Panama, Palau, and St. Kitts and Nevis carrying grain for export have been hit by Russian ballistic missiles. In other words, Russia continues to weaponize food and deliberately undermine global food security.We call on all countries to condemn these attacks on the freedom of navigation and global food security.

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 their 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.

Finally, we reiterate the EU's support for a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine, based on the UN Charter. No country wants this more than Ukraine. More than 100 countries and organizations expressed their support to the Summit on Peace in Ukraine hosted by Switzerland this summer. To this end, Russia - the aggressor - must withdraw all its troops from the entire territory of Ukraine. Any serious proposal for peace must be based on the UN Charter and international law, as clearly laid out by the UN General Assembly in its resolutions. We call on all countries desiring a just and lasting peace, including participants in the upcoming BRICS Summit, to convey this UN message loudly and clearly to Russia's leadership.

We also urge third countries to cease all assistance to Russia's war of aggression. This includes not only direct military support but also the provision of dual-use goods and sensitive items that sustain Russia's military industrial base.

President, allow me to close by reaffirming that we will continue to support Ukraine, and defend the UN Charter, in response to Russia's aggression, and will do so for as long as it takes.

I thank you.

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

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