Vienna: Russia has long abandoned any respect for international law. Over the past week, it has continued its relentless attacks on civilians, civilian infrastructure, humanitarian operations, commercial vessels, and diplomatic missions. On 24 July, Russian ballistic missiles struck the Kyiv region, killing 11 people and injuring around 100. That same day, Russian guided aerial bombs hit Slovyansk, killing at least five civilians, injuring at least nine others, and destroying Latvia's Honorary Consulate, with two staff members injured. The European Union strongly condemns these attacks, including the large-scale attack overnight, and calls again on Russia to end its war of aggression and agree to a full, immediate, and unconditional ceasefire. The EU stands in full solidarity with Ukraine and Latvia.
According to European Union, last week also saw further disruption to the delivery of critical humanitarian assistance following Russia's attacks on warehouses used by UNICEF, the World Food Programme (WFP), and the World Health Organization (WHO). Repeated attacks on civilian fuel stations in frontline regions have further complicated humanitarian logistics and access to essential services. The EU reminds Russia that attacks directed against humanitarian facilities are violations of international humanitarian law and must stop immediately.
The European Union is determined to ensure accountability for all violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law. The EU calls on Russia to release immediately and unconditionally all unlawfully detained civilians, including the three OSCE staff members - Vadym Golda, Maksym Petrov, and Dmytro Shabanov, as well as to ensure the immediate and safe return of all deported or forcibly transferred Ukrainian children. While honoring the victims of the mass killing in Olenivka four years ago, the EU calls on Russia to fully comply with international humanitarian law in its treatment of prisoners of war. The EU has recently adopted restrictive measures against those directly involved in the torture of Ukrainian POWs.
The EU expresses gratitude to the Swiss Chairpersonship, the Special Representative of the Chairperson-in-Office, Petr Mare‚¬Å¡¬€¦¡¬€š¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬‚¬¦¡¬¦¡¬¦¡, and the Ukrainian Mission for organizing last week's solidarity visit to Ukraine. The visit provided a first-hand view of the impacts of Russia's war of aggression, highlighting the vital role of the OSCE Support Programme for Ukraine in assisting civilians and strengthening long-term democratic and societal resilience. The EU expects the OSCE structures and institutions to continue supporting Ukraine and addressing the consequences of Russia's aggression across all dimensions of security.
The EU remains firmly committed to a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace in Ukraine, grounded in international law, the principles of the UN Charter and the Helsinki Final Act, and fully respecting Ukraine's independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders. The EU and its Member States stand ready to contribute to robust and credible security guarantees for Ukraine, in line with international law and their respective competences and capabilities. The EU will also continue to provide comprehensive support to Ukraine.
The EU remains determined to increase pressure on Russia until it demonstrates a genuine political will to engage in meaningful negotiations towards a just and lasting peace. Last week, the EU adopted the 21st package of restrictive measures designed to further weaken the economic and financial foundations of Russia's war economy and increase the cost of sustaining its aggression.
The EU urges 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. The EU strongly condemns the deployment of the DPRK's military forces in the war against Ukraine as well as the continued military support provided to Russia by Iran, Belarus, and the DPRK, among others.
The EU condemns the repeated violations of Romania's airspace by drones in the context of Russia's intensified attacks against Ukraine. Russia bears full responsibility for the consequences of its escalatory behavior and its continued military actions, which threaten the security of EU citizens, regional stability, and international peace. The EU expresses solidarity with Romania and stands ready to accelerate efforts to strengthen protection against such threats.
Albania, Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Republic of Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, San Marino, and Ukraine align themselves with this statement.