- Ambassador Holland reiterates the UK’s support to Ukraine, and calls on Russia to end its war and return to dialogue and risk reduction – including in the Forum for Security Cooperation.
By Neil Holland
Over the winter period, many of us marked Christmas and the New Year. But the people of Ukraine have had no rest. Today marks 1,069 days of their ongoing defence of their homeland, from a full-scale invasion which continues to violate the UN Charter and to contravene the Helsinki Final Act’s core principles, including those on sovereignty, territorial integrity and the non-use of force.
That is why each week, we have met in this Forum to support Ukraine and to hold Russia accountable for breaching its commitments. And that is why we particularly welcome Spain’s proposed FSC topic on Women, Peace & Security.
Our ministers mandated the Forum to hold a weekly politico-military dialogue, with tasks that include risk reduction. They mandated the Chair to ‘ensure the good order and smooth running of meetings’. To set the agenda. And to select and invite guest speakers. We fully support the Chair’s prerogative to execute its mandate.
Unfortunately, at the closing session last Trimester, we had to condemn the Russian delegation – for a fourth Trimester in a row – for its attempts to disrupt the FSC from functioning at all. Once again, I express my thanks to Denmark, and to other previous chairs, for keeping the Forum functional, despite Russia’s attempts to prevent it.
As we said repeatedly, there remains another path. If the Russian state’s professed wish for peace is genuine, it must end this war by withdrawing all of its forces to outside of Ukraine’s internationally recognised borders. And from Georgia and Moldova. If the Russian state is serious about dialogue and risk reduction, it must stop trying to undermine our ministerial mandate of this Forum meeting each week.
I wish to conclude by welcoming Estonia to the FSC Troika and to thank Croatia for their work as they leave the Troika. And most importantly, I wish you, chair, and your able teams here in Vienna and in Madrid the best of luck this Trimester. You can count on the support of the UK delegation.
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