On June 24, Ukrainian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Mariana Betsa met with Catherine Firon, Director of the Conflict Prevention Center at the OSCE Secretariat, who is currently visiting Ukraine.
The parties discussed ways to further cooperation between Ukraine and the OSCE Secretariat, aimed at addressing Ukraine’s most pressing needs amid ongoing Russian aggression.
In this context, Mariana Betsa and Catherine Firon focused, in particular, on the implementation of projects led by the Special Representative of the Chairmanship—OSCE Project Coordinator in Ukraine, as well as preparations for the upcoming visit to Ukraine by a group of permanent representatives of OSCE participating States, including donor countries for projects being implemented in Ukraine.
The Deputy Minister drew attention to the significant increase in Russian attacks on Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure and cultural heritage sites, and briefed her counterpart on the situation on the battlefield and Ukraine’s efforts to restore a just and sustainable peace based on the UN Charter.
Mariana Betsa emphasized the critical importance of a ceasefire, ensuring legally binding security guarantees for Ukraine, and holding Russia accountable for the crimes it has committed.
The Deputy Minister specifically noted the OSCE’s efforts to document Russia’s war crimes, in particular the recent use of the OSCE Moscow Mechanism to establish the facts of the aggressor state’s militarization and indoctrination of Ukrainian children.
“We call on the OSCE to take all possible measures to ensure the release of all Ukrainian citizens unlawfully detained by the Russian Federation, as well as the return home of deported Ukrainian children, their rehabilitation, and reintegration,” emphasized Mariana Betsa.
The parties paid particular attention to joint efforts aimed at the immediate and unconditional release of three Ukrainian citizens—staff members of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine—who are being unlawfully detained by Russia.
Mariana Betsa and Catherine Firon agreed to continue the bilateral dialogue with the aim of maintaining the high momentum of cooperation between Ukraine and the OSCE Secretariat.