Thank you, Madam President,

Germany aligns itself with the statement delivered by the European Union.

We meet today to address the ongoing and severe human rights crisis unfolding across the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.

In more than four years of Russia’s ongoing war of aggression, we have witnessed the most egregious violations of human rights and of international law.

Allow me to highlight three areas of particular concern:

First, we are gravely concerned about the treatment of Ukrainian prisoners of war and unlawfully detained civilians by Russia.

The findings of UN Human Rights Monitoring Missions are deeply disturbing. They document widespread and systematic torture and ill-treatment of Prisoners of War and civilians in Russian captivity.

We reiterate the call for unhindered, immediate and regular access by the International Committee of the Red Cross and other independent human rights mechanisms.

We call on the Russian Federation to immediately end all torture and ill-treatment and to ensure adequate detention conditions and medical care.

Second, Germany remains deeply alarmed by the systematic violence against children:

The ongoing listing of Russian armed forces and affiliated groups for grave violations against children—including the killing and maiming of children and attacks on protected civilian objects such as schools and hospitals—underscores Russia’s blatant disregard for international norms protecting children in war zones.

The unlawful deportation and forced transfer of Ukrainian children is a gross violation of international law and amount to crimes against humanity. We utterly condemn these acts. The systematic separation of children from their families, the forcible alteration of their personal status, citizenship, and identity, and efforts to obstruct their repatriation are unbearable acts. They demand a unified response.

The Secretary General’s annual report on Children and Armed Conflict, the Office of the High Commissioner, and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe have all verified and documented the appalling scale of abduction and forced transfer of Ukrainian children by the Russian authorities.

We reiterate our unwavering call for the immediate, safe, and unconditional return of all abducted Ukrainian children to their families or legal guardians.

Third, we strongly condemn Russia’s use of sexual violence as a weapon of war, torture and repression against Ukrainians.

Sexual violence has been used to terrorize and humiliate, to punish and intimidate Ukrainian civilians and prisoners of war, forming a systematic pattern of violence and repression by Russia.

We welcome the Secretary General’s decision in this year’s annual report on conflict-related sexual violence to list the Russian armed and security forces.

The violations must stop. Survivors must have unhindered and immediate access to comprehensive medical and psychosocial support and justice.
Perpetrators must be held accountable.

Germany actively supports international accountability and justice for crimes committed during Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine through legal, financial, and investigative assistance. To this end, we support the establishment of an International Claims Commission and the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine. We are also supporting the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court’s investigations, both financially and by seconding experts.

Madam President,

Germany stands with the people of Ukraine. We are committed to pursue accountability for Russia’s consistent violations of international human rights and humanitarian law.

We reaffirm our support for Ukrainian independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders.

Thank you.