EU Ambassador Stavros Lambrinidis, Head of the EU Delegation to the UN, told the UN Security Council on 9 July 2026 that Russia is losing its war against Ukraine and must agree to an immediate, unconditional ceasefire. Speaking at a Council meeting convened by the Democratic Republic of the Congo presidency, Lambrinidis condemned Russia's intensified missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities and energy infrastructure, noting that a hotel housing EU diplomatic staff in Kyiv was damaged in the past week, though no EU colleagues were injured. He estimated Russian military losses at 1.5 million and said Russia dedicates nearly 40% of its budget to military and security expenditure instead of global development financing.
The statement, delivered on behalf of the EU and its 27 member states, also aligned with candidate countries North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania, Ukraine, Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, and EFTA state Liechtenstein, as well as Andorra, Monaco and San Marino. Lambrinidis recalled that the Security Council adopted a resolution last year calling for a swift end to the conflict, which Russia supported, and that Ukraine subsequently committed to an immediate and unconditional ceasefire over 15 months ago, but Russia responded with continued attacks. He urged all countries to cease any assistance to Russia, whether direct or indirect, and condemned military support provided to Russia by Iran, Belarus and North Korea. The EU will continue to support Ukraine's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity under Article 51 of the UN Charter, Lambrinidis said, calling on others to do the same.