OSCE ambassadors visit Kyiv for first time in eight years
Corrected: The information regarding OSCE project activities in Ukraine at the end of the news has been corrected.
A delegation of permanent representatives of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) has visited Kyiv for the first time in eight years.
Source: Suspilne, a Ukrainian public broadcaster; Office of the President of Ukraine, as reported by European Pravda
Details: On 1 July, ambassadors from Austria, Italy, Iceland, Canada, Malta, Germany, Norway, Poland, Slovenia, Slovakia, Finland, France and Switzerland, along with deputy heads of mission from Estonia, Lithuania, Liechtenstein and Czechia, arrived in Kyiv for a two-day visit.
On the first day, the delegation met with Ihor Brusyl, Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine.
They discussed the OSCE’s potential role in overcoming the aftermath of the Russian aggression and the issue of holding Russia accountable.
On 2 July, the OSCE representatives honoured the memory of those killed in Russian attacks in Kyiv on 17 June. An entire section of an apartment block collapsed in the city’s Solomianskyi district during a night-time Russian strike, killing 23 people.
Vesa Häkkinen, Finland’s Ambassador to the OSCE, said it was important for the ambassadors to witness the aftermath of Russia’s attacks on civilian infrastructure with their own eyes.
Quote: "We are working to help Ukraine – this is what we do every day in Vienna. It was important for us to come to Kyiv to demonstrate support and solidarity. We now have a better understanding of what Ukrainians are living through every day."
Background:
- The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine operated from 21 March 2014 until 31 March 2022, when its mandate was not renewed due to a lack of consensus at the OSCE Permanent Council.
- On 1 July 2022, the OSCE ceased all project activity in Ukraine following a Russian veto, but since November 2022, the work of extrabudgetary projects has been resumed and continues to this day.
- In July 2024, Russia ended its participation in the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly.
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