Mr Chairperson,

As the OSCE approaches the end of the year, Russia’s war against Ukraine continues unabated. Regular attacks persist across the country, turning what should be the Christmas and New Year season into a time of fear and loss. Instead of celebrating with their families, millions of Ukrainians will spend the holidays sheltering from Russian missiles, drones and bombs.

Nearly 11 million people will mark this period abroad or as internally displaced persons, having been forced to flee their homes because of hostilities and occupation. Many will spend these days without loved ones who are fighting on the front line. Others will be separated from family members detained by Russian occupation authorities, or will mourn those who have sacrificed their lives defending their Motherland from the aggression.

Regrettably, this grim reality continues to deepen. Over the weekend alone, Russian forces launched approximately 450 attack drones and 30 missiles of various types. The city of Odesa was subjected to particularly heavy bombardment, with at least four people injured as a result of strikes on critical and civilian infrastructure. In their attack on Odesa, the Russian forces also struck a civilian ship flying the Turkish flag that carried a cargo of sunflower oil to Egypt.

Russia’s actions are deliberately directed at the civilian population. One stark example is the systematic targeting of healthcare facilities. Deliberate attacks on medical personnel, hospitals and pharmaceutical warehouses have intensified in recent months.

The most recent incident occurred on the night of 6 December, when Russian forces launched missile and drone strikes against a pharmaceutical distribution centre in the city of Dnipro. This facility served as a critical hub supplying hospitals, healthcare providers, pharmacies and humanitarian organisations. As a result of the attack, medicines worth approximately USD 110 million were destroyed, supplies that could have served around 30,000 people in need.

Earlier this month, the World Health Organization reported that it had recorded 2,763 attacks on Ukraine’s healthcare system since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, noting a 12 per cent increase compared with the previous year.

 

Esteemed colleagues,

When the Kremlin claims that its war is developed in line with the original plan, it is obviously referring to its crimes against the civilian population. Any other supposed “successes” exist only when backed by propaganda and misinformation. As the aggressor state persist in disseminating war propaganda, we must remain focused on the facts.

The Russian Federation repeatedly asserts that Ukraine’s Defence Forces are in a disastrous situation. However, let us be clear: after nearly four years of full-scale aggression, the Russian army has still failed to seize all the territories it has illegally claimed. Ukraine’s Defence Forces hold ground in the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions.

Russian forces continue to suffer heavy losses on the battlefield. In its attempts to seize new territory by deploying additional troops, Russia is currently losing around 30,000 soldiers every month.

Despite concentrating significant forces against Ukraine, the Russian military leadership has to embellish its own reports. A telling example is the situation around the city of Kupiansk in the Kharkiv region, which Russian generals reported as “captured” at the end of November. The Kremlin even invited foreign media to the area. Yet many colleagues, present today at the Permanent Council, have seen President Zelenskyy’s video message recorded in Kupiansk last Friday.

Russia also boasts of destroying Ukrainian military equipment. In reality, however, it is Russia that is losing strategic bombers, advanced radar systems and naval assets. Most recently, Russia lost yet another submarine stationed in its own harbour.

All these facts clearly demonstrate that Russia’s claims that its war is “going according to plan” amount to nothing more than propaganda and disinformation. What is truly proceeding according to plan is Russia’s genocidal policy, as it continues its campaign of terror against the civilian population by targeting residential buildings, social infrastructure and energy facilities.

 

Mr Chairperson,

Determined to end the war as soon as possible, Ukraine works closely with its partners. We remain consistent and focused, engaging with our partners on a daily basis to identify realistic and achievable steps towards peace.

We appreciate the peace efforts of the United States and remain committed to working closely with our American partners to develop a genuine path towards peace. Recent consultations in Berlin demonstrated a constructive approach and confirmed that a diplomatic solution is achievable. We are also grateful to our European partners for their consistent support and assistance in this process.

By contrast, the Russian Federation shows no interest in stopping the bloodshed. Its rhetoric remains aggressive and hostile, as Moscow keeps insisting on its ungrounded maximalist demands.

The Kremlin does not stop its preparations for a prolonged war of attrition. Recent amendments to Russian domestic legislation, including the extension of the conscription age, the introduction of year-round conscription and the mobilisation of reservists—clearly indicate this approach.

Against this backdrop, it is important to keep pressure on Moscow and force it to take a constructive approach. President Zelenskyy clearly underlined this at the Diplomatic Conference for the Adoption of the Convention Establishing an International Claims Commission for Ukraine, which recently took place in The Hague.

Allow me to quote him: “All pressure on Russia must remain in place for as long as the occupation of our land continues. Russia must feel that it is a criminal and face consequences—for as long as our people remain in Russian captivity and until the Ukrainian children abducted by Russia are brought home. Sanctions must constrain Russia until it shows respect for peaceful life and the rights of its neighbours. And, of course, every Russian war crime must have consequences—for those who committed them.”

Indeed, diplomacy must be reinforced by pressure on Russia. Peace depends on this dual approach: constructive diplomacy combined with sustained pressure on the aggressor. Both elements are indispensable if we are to secure a comprehensive, just and lasting peace.

Thank you, Mr Chairperson.