At the EU–Japan Summit, leaders condemned Russia’s war against Ukraine and pledged to continue exerting sanctions pressure on the aggressor state.
This is stated in a joint declaration published on the European Commission's website on July 23 following the summit.
"We restate our resolute condemnation of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, which constitutes a manifest violation of international law, in particular the UN Charter.We will continue to put pressure on Russia, including through sanctions and measures aimed at tackling circumvention," the statement emphasizes.
EU and Japanese leaders confirmed that Russia’s sovereign assets located in their jurisdictions must remain frozen until Russia ends its aggression against Ukraine and compensates for the damage it has caused.
"We are committed to ensuring full accountability for war crimes and other serious crimes committed in connection with Russia's war of aggression, including through our support for the establishment of the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine.," the declaration states.
The EU and Japan condemned support for Russia’s aggression by other states and called on "all parties to immediately cease any direct or indirect assistance to Russia, including facilitating sanctions evasion and supplying dual-use materials."
"In particular, we strongly condemn Russia's increasing military cooperation with North Korea. We share the concern that any support from Russia to North Korea may exacerbate the already tense environment on the Korean Peninsula. We urge Russia and North Korea to immediately cease all such activities and abide by the UN Charter and all relevant United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions," the statement adds.
The declaration also reaffirms the EU’s and Japan’s commitment to achieving a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace in Ukraine based on respect for its independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity within internationally recognized borders.
It confirms unwavering support for Ukraine — politically, financially, economically, humanitarianly, in terms of security, defense, and diplomacy — for as long as it takes.
"We join Ukraine and international partners in calling for a full, unconditional ceasefire and meaningful talks for genuine peace aimed at ending Russia's war of aggression and restoring a comprehensive, just and lasting peace based on the principles of the UN Charter," the summit participants stated.
The leaders also affirmed their continued commitment to supporting Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction.
