Mr. Chairperson,

We welcome Head of the OSCE Mission to Moldova Dr. Claus Neukirch back to the Permanent Council, this time through telecommuting, and thank him for his thoughtful report.

We appreciate your close work, Dr. Neukirch, with CiO Special Representative Thomas Mayr-Harting, aimed at facilitating further progress in Transdniestrian settlement. We were glad to see both of you two months ago in Kyiv. The meetings you had with Deputy Foreign Minister Vasyl Bodnar and Special Representative of Ukraine on Transdniestrian settlement Victor Kryzhanivsky served to this purpose.

Ukraine reiterates its full support to the work of the OSCE Mission to Moldova, including in the Transdniestrian settlement process. We note that the Mission has been working on “virtual mode” since 16 March. We appreciate that it remains able to implement its mandate by monitoring developments on the ground despite the current difficult circumstances caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

We welcome the Mission’s efforts to facilitate reaching a mutually acceptable, pragmatic compromise on the Bratislava Protocol for the benefit of the people on both banks. The eighth Conference on Confidence-Building Measures in the Transdniestrian Settlement Process, organized by the Mission with the support of the German Federal Foreign Office in November 2019 in Bavaria, as well as your shuttle diplomacy efforts, were a nice try, as the disputed part of the Protocol was narrowed down to just one line.

Ukraine’s principled position on Transdniestrian settlement remains consistent. While paying due attention to confidence building measures alleviating the lives of people on the ground, we must direct our primary efforts to the political settlement of the conflict. Withdrawal of the Russian troops from Transdniestria is a key element of this process. We remind the Russian side of the necessity to implement earlier reached agreements and commitments, including from the 1999 OSCE Istanbul Summit, as well as of the UN GA resolution A/RES/72/282 of 22 June 2018 “Complete and unconditional withdrawal of foreign military forces from the territory of the Republic of Moldova”, co-sponsored by Ukraine.

The drawdown of Russian munitions from Cobasna would also be a welcomed and long-overdue step. It will greatly contribute to the safety of nearby residents and must be implemented without any unduly delay. We appreciate the fact that the OSCE Mission to Moldova has the funds, the expertise and the experience to facilitate such a reduction in line with its mandate. We thank the Mission for paying close attention to the movements of convoys of Russian military trucks marked with explosive hazard signs from and to Cobasna, registered in the end of last year. Mission’s ability and willingness to provide comprehensive and timely reporting on the security situation on the ground to the participating States remains its substantial added value. We encourage the Mission to continue these activities and regular contacts with both Sides and participants of the 5+2 process.

In conclusion, I wish to reiterate that Ukraine, as a state-guarantor and mediator in the negotiation process, supports a peaceful and comprehensive resolution of the Transdniestrian conflict with full respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Moldova within its internationally recognized borders, with a special status for Transdniestria within Moldova.

The delegation of Ukraine again thanks Dr. Claus Neukirch for his first virtual report and wishes him and his able team success in coping with current challenges.

Thank you, Mr. Chairperson.