The European Union and Ukraine issued a joint statement on 13 July 2026, strongly condemning Russia's ongoing war of aggression and its violations of international humanitarian law, particularly regarding civilian detainees. The statement, released after discussions on the margins of the Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels, calls for the immediate, safe, and unconditional return of all arbitrarily detained, unlawfully deported, and forcibly transferred Ukrainian civilians, including children. It also demands that the International Committee of the Red Cross be granted access to all places where prisoners of war and civilian detainees are held.
The joint statement highlights the devastating humanitarian consequences of Russia's war, especially in temporarily occupied territories. It notes that since 2014, Russia has suppressed dissent and persecuted those perceived as threats, with widespread documentation of arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances, torture, sexual violence, unlawful deportation, and denial of fair trial rights. Civilians such as local officials, journalists, activists, and religious figures remain subject to politically motivated prosecutions and inhumane detention conditions. The statement also condemns Russia's systematic refusal to confirm the identity, location, and fate of Ukrainians held in captivity or reported missing.
The EU and Ukraine reaffirm their commitment to justice and full accountability for international crimes, encouraging sustained efforts within the Council of Europe to operationalise the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine and the International Claims Commission for Ukraine. The statement calls on all states to intensify coordinated pressure on Russia to fulfil its obligations under international law without further delay.