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Thank you, Foreign Minister Rau.
This year’s tragic events have demonstrated the enduring value of the OSCE as a forum for dialogue, transparency and confidence-building. Everything the OSCE does is based on the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity and non-use of force. These are the cornerstones of peace in our continent.
In Stockholm last year, the UK and several other countries warned Russia that any attack on Ukraine would be a ‘strategic mistake’. And yet, on February 24, Russia – with the support of Belarus – invaded Ukraine.
Our Ukrainian friends fought with courage and tenacity, defeated the Russian forces at the gates of Kiev, drove them from Kharkiv, and now expelled the aggressor from Kherson. Is there anyone anywhere – even in the homes of the guilty – who would still doubt that Russia’s aggression was a strategic mistake as well as a crime?
Moscow Mechanism reports have detailed atrocities by Russia’s armed forces in Ukraine, including torture, executions of civilians, illegal detention and disappearances, and numerous other violations of international humanitarian law.
Not surprisingly, Russia tried to hide this outrage by blocking the renewal of the mandate of the OSCE’s Border Observer Mission and the Special Monitoring Mission, discouraging the work of OSCE human rights organizations and closing civil society meetings with all 57 states. The UK supports a continued OSCE presence in Ukraine and welcomes efforts to ensure this continues. We commend the work of OSCE staff across the OSCE region who have been working under challenging circumstances this past year.
This catastrophe will only end when Russia stops its barbaric war and completely and unconditionally withdraws its forces from the territory of Ukraine. Until that day comes, the UK will stand by Ukraine and provide humanitarian, economic, diplomatic and military support until our friends win – as they inevitably will – and their brave country is free once more.
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