Mr Chair, thank you for your efforts to give us an opportunity to deliver our statements.
1.Every day of the now over 830 days since Russia launched its full scale invasion of Ukraine is causing devastation and increasing deaths on the battlefield and among innocent civilians. In defending their home country against the aggressor, tens of thousands of Ukrainian soldiers have lost their lives on Ukrainian soil. Then umber of casualties among the Russian forces is likely even higher. And such unnecessary and mindboggling numbers of deaths are even more senseless when we consider that for the Russian authorities the unbelievable and catastrophic decision to start its illegal, brutal, unprovoked and unjustifiable war of aggression and to invade their independent neighbour was a question of choice, and never a necessity.
2.The EU and its Member States will continue to stand by Ukraine in its righteousself-defence. Out of five main security and defence priorities set out by the EU last week, the first one on the list was the EU’s unwavering support to Ukraine, clearly stating that we are ever more steadfast in our support to Ukraine’ independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders. In order to continue providing Ukraine and its people with all the necessary political, financial, economic, humanitarian, military and diplomatic support for as long as it takes and as intensely as needed, the EU will use all tools at its disposal, including the recently established Ukraine Assistance Fund as part of the European Peace Facility and training and advice through the European Union Military Assistance Mission in support of Ukraine (EUMAM Ukraine). The upcoming signature of the EU’s security commitments to Ukraine was also highlighted last week, as well as ongoing efforts to address Ukraine’s urgent needs, notably regarding ammunition, missiles, air defence and artillery systems, and drones.

3.We already elaborated in our previous meeting on the important work done in the framework of the EUMAM Ukraine, which is just one of many forms of assistance. So far the overall support the EU and its Member States provided or committed to Ukraine amounts to over EUR 143 billion. Out of this amount EUR 35 billion are dedicated to military support, in order to strengthen the capabilities of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
4.The EU has also imposed massive sanctions on Russia aiming at weakening its ability to wage its war of aggression and targeting also those supporting Russia’s aggression. Most recently, last Friday the EU imposed further sanctions on activities related to illegal weapons programmes and military support by the DPRK as well as to the transfer of drones by Iran.
5.Mr Chair, the EU and its Member States reiterate that Russia must immediately stop its illegal, unprovoked and unjustifiable war of aggression, put an end to this unbearable suffering and devastation, and completely and unconditionally withdraw all of its forces and military equipment from the entire territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders. We also condemn the continued military support for Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine provided by Belarus, as well as Iran and the DPRK. We 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.
Thank you.

The Candidate Countries NORTH MACEDONIA*, MONTENEGRO*, ALBANIA*, UKRAINE, the REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA, BOSNIA and HERZEGOVINA*, and GEORGIA, the EFTA countries ICELAND, LIECHTENSTEIN and NORWAY, members of the European Economic Area, as well as SAN MARINO align themselves with this statement.
* North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania, and Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.