Brussels, 24 February 2026
We, the Steering Committee of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum, reaffirm our unwavering solidarity with the people of Ukraine in the face of Russia’s continued full-scale aggression.
Russia’s aggression is a direct assault on democracy, human rights, and the rules-based international order in Europe to redraw borders by force, undermine the foundations of European security, and normalise impunity for international crimes.
The ongoing invasion continues to inflict immense human suffering. Civilians are killed and injured daily. Millions remain internally displaced or have sought refuge abroad. Entire cities, towns, and villages have been devastated. Critical infrastructure—energy, water, healthcare, transport, and education systems—has been deliberately and systematically targeted. These consequences extend far beyond Ukraine’s borders, affecting economic stability, food security, and democratic resilience across the wider EU’s neighbourhood. Repeated strikes on power generation and transmission facilities have left countless households without electricity and heating during extremely harsh conditions—Ukrainian cities have been pushed to the brink of survival this winter. These actions constitute clear violations of international humanitarian law and reflect Russia’s intentional strategy to weaponise winter, terrorise civilians, and erode societal resilience.
Building on significant progress in reforms and European integration, Ukraine continues to strengthen its democratic institutions and align with EU standards. Despite relentless attacks, Ukrainian civil society, journalists, human rights defenders, volunteers, and local communities continue to provide humanitarian assistance, support displaced populations, document violations of international law, counter disinformation, and uphold democratic governance. Their work demonstrates that civil society remains both a humanitarian lifeline and a pillar of democratic accountability under wartime conditions.
We recall the Resolution of the EaP Civil Society Summit 2025, adopted at the EaP Civil Society Summit in Brussels on 2 December 2025, which highlighted the central role of Ukrainian civil society in sustaining resilience and democratic reform, and the importance of its meaningful participation in reconstruction and EU pre-accession processes.
We call upon the European Union, its Member States, and the international community to sustain and intensify comprehensive support for Ukraine, through:
- Supporting Ukraine’s EU aspirations and its integration into the EU;
- Continued and predictable military assistance enabling Ukraine to defend its population and territory;
- Rapid restoration and protection of critical civilian infrastructure; as this winter ends, urgent adaptation of urban infrastructure is essential to ensure resilience and prevent systemic disruption this year and in the winter seasons ahead;
- Financial and macroeconomic assistance to safeguard public institutions and essential services;
- Long-term reconstruction funding grounded in transparency, anti-corruption safeguards, rule of law principles, and alignment with EU accession reforms;
- Promoting the most just and durable peace for Ukraine in full respect for Ukraine’s sovereignty and independence;
- Strong protection and flexible, multi-year funding for Ukrainian civil society organisations and independent media.
We call for enhanced cooperation between EU Member States, Ukrainian institutions and local authorities to invest in human capital to support community-based mental health services, rehabilitation, professional training, educational exchanges and measures to facilitate and support the safe return of Ukrainians to their homes once conditions allow. Preserving and restoring human capital has emerged as one of Ukraine’s key challenges during the war and post-war recovery period. Investing in human capital is a mean to rebuild communities, retain talent, and support veterans, women, youth, and displaced persons in returning to productive roles in society.
We reaffirm our strong support for independent media and civil society organisations whose work in documenting atrocities, countering disinformation, and sustaining civic participation is indispensable for Ukraine’s democratic future and for informing the international community about the realities and consequences of the war. The current systematic attempts to silence independent voices and persecution of Ukrainian environmental activists and journalists reflects broader efforts by Russian authorities to intimidate independent reporting and civic engagement.
We reiterate our call for frozen Russian state assets to be directed towards Ukraine’s defence, humanitarian needs, reconstruction, and recovery in full compliance with international law and through transparent, accountable mechanisms. We also underline the necessity for EU Member States to fully discontinue the purchase of Russian energy resources.
We call on the European Union and its Member States to urgently adopt the 20th package of sanctions against Russia, ensuring it remains robust and comprehensive, and to refrain from any unilateral actions that would delay or dilute the EU’s unified response. Sanctions remain a central instrument in constraining the Russian Federation’s capacity to wage war.
We underscore the importance of continued and strengthened international efforts to ensure accountability for war crimes, crimes against humanity, the crime of aggression, and large-scale environmental destruction. Full cooperation with the International Criminal Court, the establishment of a special tribunal on the crime of aggression, and effective reparations and compensation mechanisms are indispensable for a durable peace, deterrence of future aggression, and restoration of justice.
The Steering Committee of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum
