The recent visit to Kyiv of the foreign ministers of Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, and Sweden wound up in a joint statement by these ministers and Dmytro Kuleba, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.
The politicians strongly condemned “Russia’s attacks on the civilian population and critical infrastructure” aimed at terrorizing the civilian population. “These attacks on the civilian population are war crimes,” the statement emphasized.
“We undertake to provide further humanitarian assistance and support Ukraine’s efforts to prepare for winter, in particular, to restore Ukraine’s energy infrastructure,” the ministers decided.
On behalf of Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden, the ministers promised to continue “working together to provide political and practical support to ensure Ukraine’s ability to defend its independence and territorial integrity.”
They stressed the importance of continuing international support to improve Ukraine’s air defense capabilities to protect its civilian infrastructure against “Russia’s inhumane attacks.”
“We stand in full solidarity with Ukraine. We will never recognize the illegal attempted annexation of Ukraine’s territories, including Crimea. We reaffirm our joint efforts to further strengthen the activities within the International Crimea Platform aimed at achieving the de-occupation of Crimea. Ukraine has the inherent right to self-defense to ensure its independence and sovereignty and restore its territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders. Russia must stop its aggression and withdraw its troops from the entire territory of Ukraine,” they stated.
Blaming Russia alone for the aggression that has caused immense suffering to Ukrainians and triggered a humanitarian catastrophe, they pointed out that those states that knowingly assist another state in the “commission of internationally wrongful acts bear international responsibility for doing so.”
“The suffering inflicted by Russia on the Ukrainian people is unprecedented and we welcome efforts to ensure full accountability for those responsible for the crime of aggression against Ukraine and for perpetrators of war crimes and other atrocities during the war. The sovereignty and equality of all the states are under threat unless we respond decisively to Russia’s aggression. We support the ongoing accountability efforts, and note with interest the discussion on the establishment of an international tribunal for crime of aggression, which is the crime that is the source of all the other atrocities committed during the aggression in Ukraine,” the foreign ministers stated.
The statement also mentions “Russia’s irresponsible and highly provocative rhetoric on nuclear weapons”; the need to “continue to impose economic costs on Russia and on other countries, individuals or entities providing support for Moscow’s war of aggression”; commitment to provide further humanitarian aid and support Ukraine’s winterization efforts; the need for an international mechanism for reparation.
Moreover, the ministers reaffirmed their “joint commitment and unwavering support to Ukraine’s European integration” and Euro-Atlantic aspirations and promised the “financial and military support to Ukraine for as long as it takes.”
