UK Urges Dialogue Amid Crisis in OSCE Address
Ambassador Neil Holland reiterates UK support for Ukraine, calls for Russia to agree an immediate ceasefire, and underlines the enduring value of the Forum for Security Cooperation for risk-reduction messaging.
Thank you to Undersecretary for Political Affairs, Mr Roger, for his remarks. Madam Chair, dear Kaja, thank you also for your calm and professional stewardship of this Forum this Trimester.
As I have said before, our Ministers mandated the Forum to continue our politico-military dialogue even in times of crisis. That is why we used our weekly statements to reiterate our support for Ukraine. It is why we continued to call on Russia to agree an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, and to return to abiding by the principles of the UN Charter and the Helsinki Final Act. And it is why we supported Estonia’s three Security Dialogue topics to keep the focus on Russia’s war of aggression.
Madam Chair, our Ministers also mandated our Forum with risk-reduction. It is in this spirit that we have continued to use this Forum in good faith, including as a NATO Ally, to send and receive messaging. This includes voluntary briefs on above- and below-threshold military exercises, and asking questions to clarify our own understanding. We have done this, as a responsible State, to maintain dialogue in an appropriate and diplomatic manner. Because this is about our shared interests of reducing misunderstanding and preventing unintended escalation.
Let me conclude by thanking Spain as it leaves the FSC Troika, and to welcome France. The incoming Chair, Finland, can count on the UK’s full and continued support next Trimester – including in its prerogative as FSC Chair.
https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/the-importance-of-dialogue-even-during-crisis-uk-statement-to-the-osce