OSCE Forum for Security Co-operation N°1088 Vienna, 25 September 2024

OSCE Forum for Security Co-operation N°1088 Vienna, 25 September 2024

OSCE Forum for Security Co-operation N°1088
Vienna, 25 September 2024

1.Mr Chair, on 19 September, the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine presented its findings on Russia's attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure and the harm this inflicts on the civilian population. Harm that directly impacts living conditions and causes further displacements. In addition the publication also highlights the civilian casualties resulting from these strikes with at least 18 civilians killed and 84 wounded. The report concluded there were reasonable grounds to believe that several aspects of the military campaign aiming to damage or destroy Ukraine's civilian electricity and heat-producing and transmission infrastructure violated fundamental principles of international humanitarian law. In view of the upcoming winter season throughout which the demand for electricity rises, the impact of these attacks is only bound to aggravate the already dire energy situation and thereby inflict even greater and lasting human suffering on the Ukrainian population. These attacks are also increasing the threat to the safety and security of the ZNPP, and all of Ukraine's nuclear power plants.
2.The same day that the UN report was published, Russia attacked an energy facility in the Sumy region, and a Russian bomb also hit a geriatric centre in Sumy, with one dead and 13 injured being reported. The EU and its Member States reiterate the strong condemnation of Russia's brutal, unprovoked, illegal and unjustifiable war of aggression against Ukraine which is a blatant violation of international law and contravening the most important principles guiding relations among OSCE participating States.
3.We stress that Ukraine has the right to defend itself from Russian attacks, in line with Article 51 of the UN Charter. We will continue to help Ukraine as it fights for its sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity against Russia's war of aggression. As such, the support of the EU and its Member States remains unwavering. We are committed to provide continued political, financial, economic,humanitarian, legal, military and diplomatic support to Ukraine and its people for as long as it takes and as intensely as needed. We have also developed a winter plan to support Ukraine's energy security. The EU has announced a support package of EUR 160 million for humanitarian aid, repair works and renewables.
4.We must not forget one of the most serious and potentially dangerous effects of this conflict namely the extent of remaining explosive remnants of war and how they can have serious implications on the population and the environment for generations to come. According to the UN, Ukraine is one of the world's most heavily mine-contaminated states and will require decades of clearance efforts.Within the framework of the EU's EUR 25 million support package for humanitarian demining announced at the EU-Ukraine Summit of February 2023, two GCS-200mine-clearing machines and other equipment worth over EUR 1.8 million were handed over to Ukraine this August, following the delivery of a DOK-ING MV-10mine-clearing system earlier this year. The current package was designed to meet the urgent needs of Ukraine's state mine action operators, ranging from basic equipment for demining teams to pyrotechnic vehicles and robotic demining systems. The work of the OSCE also remains a vital part of demining efforts in Ukraine with the related activities of the Support Programme for Ukraine which the EU and several of its Member States support financially.
5.Mr Chair, the EU and its Member States reiterate that Russia must immediately stop its 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 coreprinciples and commitments.

Thank you.

Alignments:
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 ANDORRA and SAN MARINO align themselves with this statement.
*North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, and Bosnia and Herzegovinacontinue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.