OSCE Permanent Council No. 1562
The European Union strongly condemns the latest Russian strikes against Ukraine, which have once again deliberately targeted civilian infrastructure, in flagrant violation of international humanitarian law. Nearly 1,900 attack drones, 1,400 guided aerial bombs, and 60 missiles were launched against Ukraine in the previous week alone. Over the past days, Russian long-range strikes have killed at least 18 civilians and injured 130 across eight regions in Ukraine, while January to March 2026 saw 177 civilian fatalities from such attacks—clear evidence of Russia’s systematic targeting of non-combatants far from the frontline. Russian strikes have damaged or destroyed residential buildings, social-service centers, medical buildings, energy and water infrastructure and port facilities, across many regions of Ukraine, including Odesa, Sumy, Zaporizhzhia, Chernihiv, Kherson, and Dnipropetrovsk. We once again demand Russia to cease its aggression, withdraw all forces and military equipment from the entire territory of Ukraine and fully respect Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders.
Ensuring accountability for violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law, as well as for all crimes committed in connection with Russia`s war of aggression, remains paramount for achieving the just and lasting peace Ukraine deserves; a peace based on international law, including the UN Charter, and Helsinki Final Act. The OSCE Moscow Mechanism and ODIHR reports remain crucial tools in our pursuit of justice. The OSCE plays and will continue to play a role in view of a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.
The EU and its Member States are ready to contribute to robust and credible security guarantees for Ukraine, based on their respective competences and capabilities and in line with international law, while continuing to also provide comprehensive political, financial, economic, humanitarian, military and diplomatic support in close coordination with like-minded partners and allies. The EUR 90bn Ukraine Support Loan will ensure that Ukraine can meet its urgent budgetary and defence needs, enabling the country to remain resilient in the face of ongoing aggression. We are also committed to support Ukraine in urgently repairing and rebuilding its energy infrastructure and strengthening the resilience of its energy system in view of next winter.
The recently adopted 20th package of sanctions aims to reduce Russia’s energy revenues, constrain its banking system, and curb shadow fleet operations, thus targeting key sectors which fuel the aggression. With 120 further individual listings, it is the biggest package of listings in two years. We will further increase pressure on Russia and its third-country facilitators and continue weakening its war economy so that it ceases its aggression and engages in meaningful negotiations towards peace.
We urge all countries to immediately cease any assistance to Russia in its war of aggression against Ukraine, whether direct or indirect, and notably through the provision of dual-use goods and components. In particular, we strongly condemn the deployment of the DPRK’s military forces in the war against Ukraine as well as the continued military support provided by Iran, Belarus and the DPRK, among others.
We welcome the recent swap of prisoners of war that allowed 193 Ukrainian soldiers to return to Ukraine. Russia continues to keep Ukrainian prisoners of war in captivity – many of them for more than four years. They are held in harsh conditions, facing widespread torture and other ill and inhumane treatment. We restate our demand for the immediate and unconditional release of all prisoners of war and civilians arbitrarily detained by Russia, including the three OSCE officials: Vadym Golda, Maxim Petrov and Dmytro Shabanov, as well as for the safe return of all deported and forcibly transferred Ukrainian children.
Mr. Chair,
We also urge Russia to refrain from further breaches of the national airspace of EU Member States, most recently of Romania, following the brutal attacks against Ukraine´s port infrastructure on the Danube. Russia’s reckless actions put the safety and security of the population at risk. We stand in solidarity with Romania and all other EU Member States and countries that continue to be provoked and threatened by Russia.
Albania, Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Republic of Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway and Ukraine align themselves with this statement.