Skopje, 23 February 2022 (MIA) – North Macedonia is aligned with the European Union’s foreign and security policy regarding the announced sanctions against Russia, said Government Spokesperson Dushko Arsovski on Wednesday. “The Government will additionally discuss and decide on this. The public will be duty informed,” Arsovski told a press conference. Asked if North Macedonia is prepared to shelter refugees from Ukraine in case of a military conflict, he said the country has shown its open heart on several occasions, providing assistance in similar situations. “The Government will offer assistance in case of escalation in Ukraine but all efforts focus on preventing this. Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski will talk to Ukrainian counterpart Denys Shmyhal later today and this issue will be one of the topics of discussion. The Government will then make an assessment over the assistance that could be provided,” said Arsovski. On the 30 observers that are currently staying in the Ukraine as part of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission, the Spokesperson said they are safe and doing their job. “Nevertheless, if the situation worsens, we will ensure their safety”, added Arsovski. He noted there are about 100 Macedonian nationals currently registered by the embassy in Kiev, of whom about 30 have already returned to North Macedonia.