Mr President,
It is disappointing but not surprising that Russia has refused to accept its failings in respecting the fundamental human rights of Ukrainians and of its own citizens.
Russia's forcible deportation of Ukrainian children is a despicable and systematic attempt to erase Ukrainian identity, and with it, Ukraine's future. We are determined to hold to account those responsible for forcibly deporting and attempting to indoctrinate Ukrainian children. We call upon Russia to cease these deportations immediately and return all Ukrainian children.
Alexei Navalny was imprisoned for his opposition to the Russian regime, and those responsible for his death should be held accountable. The politically motivated treatment of Vladimir Kara-Murza, based on his criticism of the war in Ukraine, is deplorable. The conditions in Mr Kara-Murza's penal colony are life-threatening; Russia should release him immediately and unconditionally on humanitarian grounds for urgent medical treatment.
The recent Presidential elections underlined the depth of repression under President Putin's regime, which seeks to silence any opposition to his illegal war in Ukraine. Russia should protect the rights of citizens who do not support this unjustified war to protest and allow independent media and civil society to hold Russian leaders to account.
