On 8 July 2026, Ambassador Stavros Lambrinidis, Head of the EU Delegation to the UN, delivered a statement at the UN Security Council open debate on Women, Peace and Security, expressing deep alarm over a doubling of verified conflict-related sexual violence cases in 2025 and condemning Russia's use of sexual violence as a weapon of war in Ukraine. The statement, which aligns with the EU and its Member States, marks the first time Russian armed and security forces have been listed by the UN Secretary-General's report for committing such violence against Ukrainian civilians and prisoners of war.
The EU reiterated its strong support for the UN Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict and commended the evidence-based reporting in the annual report. Lambrinidis highlighted that the real number of cases is likely much higher due to underreporting caused by insecurity, stigma, and limited access to services. The statement expressed grave concern over sexual violence committed by state actors, terrorist organisations, and armed groups in countries including the Central African Republic, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Haiti, Sudan, and elsewhere. It also noted that the report continues to list Hamas for sexual violence during and after the 7 October 2023 terror attacks, and for the first time lists Israeli armed and security forces for cases against Palestinian detainees, calling on all parties to comply with international law.
The EU called for full accountability for war crimes, including through the International Criminal Court, and reaffirmed its support for Ukraine's survivor-centred approach. The EU Advisory Mission in Ukraine assists in investigating and prosecuting conflict-related sexual violence. The statement also highlighted EU-funded projects: over EUR 1 million to UN Action against Sexual Violence in Conflict, EUR 3 million each in Sudan and Chad for gender-based violence prevention, and support for the Global Survivor Fund, which provided interim reparative measures to nearly 4,000 survivors in 2025. Lambrinidis urged systematic application of existing norms, adequate resourcing, and political will to close the gap between frameworks and implementation.