Mr. Chairperson,

At the outset, I would like to quote Oleksandra Matviichuk, a Nobel Peace Winner, Ukrainian human rights lawyer and civil society leader.

“Peace does not come when the country under the attack stops fighting. That’s not peace, that’s occupation. And occupation is another form of war. Occupation means enforced disappearances, torture, deportations, forced adoptions of your children, denial of identity, filtration camps, and mass graves”.

Let me repeat, the occupation is another form of war.

Even if cannons are silent people are being killed, mutilated and humiliated.

In this regard, a recent report issued by the UN Inquiry Commission has become yet another horrifying account of russia’s horrendous crimes.

Most of them were committed in the shadow of russia’s occupation.

Wilful killing of civilians by russian soldiers

Systematic torture in detention facilities of various types.

Detention facilities and torture chambers equipped in schools and kindergartens.

Women and girls raped by russian soldiers in russia-controlled villages.

Children separated from their families and deported to russia.

When the russian diplomats are trying to whitewash the deportation of children as a humanitarian action, let’s listen to children what russia’s humanitarian gestures actually mean. I quote.

“A 16-year-old boy, stated that camp staff placed him, together with two other children in the “isolator” for four days”. Isn’t this a police state in action?

Or another example.

“One of the children, a 15-year-old girl, told the [UN Inquiry] Commission that camp personnel had decided to send her 10-year-old brother to a psychiatric hospital in Crimea, as a punishment following a quarrel with another child and after he “was crying because he missed his mother”, separating him from his two other siblings who were in the camp”.

In this room we mentioned on numerous occasions how russia was using a “punitive psychiatry” against political prisoners in Crimea.

However, to use this torture against children, this is a new low.

This pattern of crimes continues unabated in the occupied territories.

Even just a few days ago, in Volnovakha, Donetsk region, russian soldiers cold bloodedly killed a family of nine people, including two children, 9- and 5-year-old.

The family was sleeping when the two russian soldiers burst into their house.

This is what the occupation means.

Being powerless in the hands of invaders. To live in a constant fear of being killed, detained or raped.

This is a clear response to the naivety of those who still advocate that the ceasefire could ease the life of people in the occupation.

We have to remember about that when we hear again from russian officials that to get peace one has to accept the realities on the ground.

This means to put people at the mercy of russian murderers.

As General Zaluzhny rightly pointed out, “Let’s be honest, it’s a feudal state where the cheapest resource is human life. And for us…the most expensive thing we have is our people,”

And to protect its people from russian feudal state and aggression, Ukraine needs weapons.

Swift and unimpeded delivery of weapons is vital for Ukraine and for those waiting for freedom in the occupation.

Arms and munitions supplies make a difference on the ground.

And we are grateful to our partners for their unwavering defense assistance.

Dear colleagues,

During the last meeting of the Council we were shocked how the Middle East has become a new source of pain and suffering.

I couldn't agree more with the OSCE Secretary General who after the meeting posted in social media that “we have long recognized that security in our region is intertwined with the security of our partners – not least in the Middle East”.

But it is also high time to admit that the OSCE participating State, namely russia, exports instability into other regions, the OSCE partners, by building an axis with Iran and North Korea.

Russia’s cruelty in Ukraine becomes a role model for violence in other regions.

Artillery shells that russia receives from North Korea not only bring more destruction to Ukrainian cities but also multiply security risks for the Korean peninsula.

Likewise, russia’s partnership with Iran is a stark reminder of the need to strengthen international restrictive measures and close loopholes allowing them to bypass sanctions.

This is a matter of our common security. A recent attack on the city of Slavuta with the Iranian Shaheds is an emblematic one in this regard.

It is highly likely that the target for these drones was the Khmelnytskyi nuclear power plant – the shockwave from the explosion shattered windows, including those on the territory of the NPP.

And as winter is approaching, this attack also reminds us that energy infrastructure remains among russia’s priority targets.

As russia is stockpiling missiles and drones, Ukraine needs more systems to protect its skies.

At the same time, political and diplomatic actions should continue.

Given that Europe is witnessing the biggest war since the WWII, instructing the OSCE structures, including the Conflict Prevention Centre, to prepare a paper of how to deal with the unfolding russian crisis is long-overdue and could be a valuable contribution to the upcoming Ministerial in Skopje.

We need a frank and comprehensive discussion how to further isolate the russian regime that invades sovereign countries, kills civilians on mass, like it recently happened in the village of Hroza, kidnaps children, rapes women, and as I already mentioned, exports instability to other regions, to the OSCE partners, as well as has turned its own territory into an internal prison.

An angry mob in the airport in Makhachkala is yet another red flag of widespread culture of hatred propagated by the russian authorities.

As stated by the President of Ukraine, “this is not an isolated incident […] The Russian foreign minister has made a series of antisemitic remarks in the last year. The Russian President also used antisemitic slurs. For Russian propaganda […] hate rhetoric is a routine. Russian antisemitism and hatred toward other nations are systemic and deeply rooted. Hatred is what drives aggression and terror. We must all work together to oppose the hatred”.

In view of this we would like to thank everyone in the world who is helping Ukraine to win this war and restore just peace, including with the implementation of Ukraine’s Peace Formula.

As you can see, the world's participation in Ukraine's diplomatic efforts continues to grow.

While we had just 15 participants in the first meeting in Copenhagen in June and 42 in Jeddah in August, last week 65 states and international organizations participated together with Ukraine in the third meeting of the national security and foreign policy advisors’ meeting.

Taking this opportunity, I would like to express gratitude to Malta for its hospitality and readiness to host this important meeting.

As President Zelenskyy stated, “no matter what is happening in the world, the most important thing is unity for the sake of the real power of international law, as this is unity for the sake of justice for Ukraine and all countries and nations that may face aggression”.

Likewise, we are grateful to Czechia for co-hosting the Second parliamentary summit of the International Crimea Platform.

Ongoing transferring of Nariman Dzhelyal and Aziz Akhmetov from Crimea to Siberia not only brings to our memory the worst Soviet traditions, but also reminds what we are fighting for.

For people, their dignity and freedom.

Ukraine will continue this fight until all territories, including Crimea, are liberated from the russian occupation. After all, it’s about people.

I thank you, Mr. Chair.