VIENNA, 19 November 2024 — Today, the OSCE Troika - Malta, North Macedonia and Finland - made the following statement:
“On this 1000th day since the Russian Federation’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, we, the OSCE Troika members - Malta, North Macedonia and Finland – reaffirm our steadfast support for the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine. We applaud the resilience of the Ukrainian people and pledge continued support, including through the CiO’s Special Representative – Project Co-ordinator and the extra-budgetary Support Programme for Ukraine.
We strongly condemn Russia’s ongoing war of aggression. This war is a grave violation of the UN Charter and a flagrant breach of OSCE principles and commitments under the Helsinki Final Act.
We reaffirm the urgent need to protect civilians and ensure the provision of humanitarian assistance to those in need. The relentless, indiscriminate attacks on civilians and residential areas, as well as the targeted destruction of civilian infrastructure, including energy infrastructure, hospitals and schools in Ukraine, violate international humanitarian law, compound human suffering, and undermine prospects for peace.
We underline that those responsible for violations of international law, especially regarding crimes committed against children and conflict-related sexual violence, should be held accountable, ensuring justice for victims.
We are deeply concerned by the war’s broader consequences on food security, the environment, nuclear security and safety, energy stability and cultural heritage.
We call for the immediate release of all unlawfully detained civilians, including those held for their political views, and the swift return of children illegally deported from Ukraine. We also demand the immediate and unconditional release of OSCE officials Vadym Golda, Maxim Petrov and Dmytro Shabanov, who remain unjustly detained.
This war must end. We call on the Russian Federation to immediately cease all hostilities and withdraw its forces from Ukraine’s internationally recognized borders.
On this tragic milestone, we underscore our commitment to a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine. We urge all participating States and international organizations to intensify support for diplomatic efforts to achieve such a peace.”