On 3 October 2025, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Baiba Braže, delivered a statement on behalf of the Baltic states and Nordic countries at the UN Human Rights Council, emphasising that Russia mocks international peace efforts – while cynically talking about peace, it continues its aggression.
“Russia continues to blatantly violate the UN Charter, international human rights law and international humanitarian law. According to the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry, Russia’s offences in Ukraine amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Russia’s relentless daily aerial bombing, missile and drone attacks continue to kill and injure innocent Ukrainians and to destroy infrastructure. The daily playbook of Russia’s imperial, colonial war includes arbitrary detentions, torture, executions, rape and sexual violence.
Russia and its leadership must be held accountable for its war of aggression against Ukraine, for all crimes committed, including for the unlawful deportation and forcible transfer of Ukrainian children, their illegal adoption, militarization and erasing their Ukrainian identity. Russia must immediately return Ukrainian children to Ukraine,” Baiba Braže underlined in the statement.
While urging countries to increase support for Ukraine, the Minister pointed out: “It is our common interest that the rules-based international order and international law are upheld.”
For information
- The joint statement delivered on behalf of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden was live streamed in a video format at the Interactive Dialogue on the High Commissioner Volker Türk’s oral update on the situation of human rights in Ukraine.
- The 60th Session of the UN Human Rights Council is taking place in Geneva, Switzerland, from 8 September to 8 October 2025.