On 17 July 2026, the European Union issued a statement on the 12th anniversary of the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17, honouring the 298 victims and reiterating its full support for efforts to establish truth, justice and accountability in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 2166. The statement, released by the EEAS on behalf of the High Representative, expresses deepest sympathy to the families and loved ones of the victims and calls on the Russian Federation to accept responsibility and cooperate with efforts to serve justice.
The EU welcomed the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) of 9 July 2025 and the decision by the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) of 12 May 2025, both finding the Russian Federation responsible for the downing of Flight MH17 and the deaths of 298 people. The ECtHR unanimously held that Russia violated the European Convention on Human Rights, and the ICAO Council concluded that Russia breached the prohibition on the use of weapons against civil aircraft in flight. In its decision of 30 June 2025, the ICAO Council ordered Australia, the Netherlands and Russia to enter into good faith negotiations on full reparations.
Following the ICAO decision, Australia and the Netherlands requested in August 2025 that Russia enter negotiations, but Russia never responded. Instead, on 18 September 2025, Russia filed proceedings against Australia and the Netherlands before the International Court of Justice, exercising its right of appeal against the ICAO Council decision. The EU statement underscores that the ECtHR judgment and ICAO decision are important steps toward accountability for all victims and their relatives.