Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine Olexandr Mischenko met with heads and representatives of embassies of five partner countries of Ukraine: Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Finland. The main topic of the talks was the discussion of topical issues of strengthening bilateral and multilateral cooperation in order to effectively counteract the ongoing armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine.

Olexandr Mischenko emphasised the position of our country on the need to consolidate international support. In particular, special attention was paid to studying the experience and best practices of the Baltic States, Poland and Finland in developing mechanisms to minimise restrictive measures arising from the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction (Ottawa Convention).

The parties stressed that the Russian Federation, not being a state party to the Ottawa Convention, widely uses anti-personnel mines as a method of warfare against the Security and Defence Forces of Ukraine. They also provided data on civilian casualties in our country as a result of the aggressor state's use of mines and explosive devices: 336 people were killed, including 18 children, and another 825 citizens were injured.

Ukraine, in good faith compliance with its international obligations, including the Ottawa Convention, has found itself in an unequal and unfair situation, being limited in its military response to the ongoing armed aggression of the Russian Federation. As a result, this situation impedes the exercise of the sovereign right to self-defence, as provided for in Article 51 of the UN Charter.

International partners have recognised that the regional security situation has changed significantly since Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Finland joined the Ottawa Convention. By carrying out a full-scale aggression on 24 February 2022, Russia openly demonstrated that it does not respect the territorial borders of sovereign states and international law, including the principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter.

The partner states expressed a common position that it is crucial for the international community not to limit its flexibility and to use various weapons systems, including conventional ones, and solutions to strengthen the practical implementation of the inherent right to self-defence and to ensure the protection of states and their citizens.

At the end of the meeting, the interlocutors agreed on further joint steps towards achieving a just and sustainable peace, in particular by strengthening defence cooperation.