Mr. Chairperson,

Allow me, first of all, to convey to you, Ambassador Maisuradze, and to your highly professional team, Ukraine’s sincere appreciation for the committed and purposeful leadership with which Georgia has guided the Forum for Security Co-operation throughout this trimester.

We also express our gratitude for the closing remarks delivered by H.E. Ambassador Archil Karaulashvili, Director General for Security Policy, International Organisations and Euro-Atlantic Integration of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia.

Steering the politico-military dimension of the OSCE amid the gravest security crisis in Europe is a responsibility of the highest order. Georgia approached this task with a clear understanding that agreed commitments must remain relevant to the security realities confronting participating States.

Ukraine particularly commends the coherent programme of Security Dialogues implemented by the Georgian Chairpersonship. The discussion on strengthening compliance with the OSCE Code of Conduct focused on democratic control, command responsibility, training, oversight and accountability.

The dialogue on the impact of armed conflict on women and girls rightly presented their protection, empowerment and participation as essential elements of resilience and recovery. The joint FSC-PC discussion on conflict-related human rights violations connected politico-military commitments with the practical application of international humanitarian law and international human rights law, including in situations of occupation. We value the opportunity provided to Ukrainian representatives and experts to contribute directly to these discussions.

Mr. Chairperson,

Ukraine is also grateful to the Georgian Chairpersonship for ensuring that the Forum responded to urgent developments arising from Russia’s ongoing aggression. The joint FSC-PC meetings devoted to aerial attacks against Ukraine and to the violation of Romania’s national airspace demonstrated that the FSC can and must address concrete threats to the security of participating States.

Georgia’s own experience gives particular weight to this approach. As the Georgian Chairpersonship recalled at its opening session, Russia continues to occupy two regions of Georgia and to maintain an illegal military presence there. Ukraine and Georgia therefore understand first-hand the consequences of aggression, occupation, violations of sovereignty and the erosion of confidence within the OSCE area.

 Distinguished colleagues,

Throughout this trimester, the Russian Federation continued to use the Forum to spread disinformation, manufacture false equivalence and evade responsibility. Its rhetoric of peace remains contradicted by missile and drone attacks against Ukrainian cities, the continuing occupation of Ukrainian territory, and documented violations against civilians, prisoners of war and persons living under occupation.

The FSC must not permit the language of co-operation to be manipulated in order to normalize aggression. There can be no return to business as usual until Russia ends its war, withdraws its forces from the sovereign territory of Ukraine and restores full respect for international law and OSCE principles.

Ukraine remains deeply grateful to all participating States that continue to support our country and defend the principles on which this Organization was founded. Preserving the relevance of the FSC requires the collective determination to uphold commitments when they are violated.

 Mr. Chairperson,

In conclusion, we wish the United Kingdom every success as it assumes the Chairpersonship of the Forum for Security Co-operation in the next trimester. Ukraine looks forward to continuing its close and constructive engagement with the incoming Chair.

We also express our appreciation to France for its dedicated contribution as the outgoing member of the FSC Triїka and welcome Greece as the incoming Triїka member.

I thank you, Mr. Chairperson.