Kyiv, 16 January 2023 (MIA) — At a meeting with Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, Minister of Foreign Affairs and OSCE Chairman-in-Office Bujar Osmani strongly condemned the Russian aggression against Ukraine and the latest Russian missile strike in Dnipro that killed and injured many civilians including children. Stressing that attacks on civilian targets were unacceptable, he called on Russia to stop the war, return to OSCE principles, and resolve issues through diplomacy.

According to MIA’s reporter in Kyiv, Osmani expressed solidarity with all Ukrainian people, saying their courage was admirable.

“This is not the first time I have visited Ukraine since the beginning of the aggression. I hoped the aggression and the suffering would stop by the time I visited Ukraine in the capacity of OSCE chairman,” he said, urging the Russian Federation to withdraw its troops from Ukraine and reopen diplomatic channels.

He reiterated that the OSCE’s main priority this year would be Ukraine and called for prosecuting war criminals. 

“The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has documented over 18,000 casualties since the beginning of the aggression. The actual number of people killed or injured is probably higher. In addition, the UNHCR recorded almost eight million Ukrainian refugees across Europe. Almost five million are internally displaced. These numbers are shocking. Even if it's just one life lost or a future ruined, that's too high a price to pay. Those responsible for exposing innocent people to horrific acts must be held accountable,” Osmani said.

He said the OSCE was committed to restoring peace in Ukraine and added that it would make available all its mechanisms toward this goal.

“North Macedonia’s OSCE chairpersonship will guard OSCE’s common principles,” Osmani said. ”We will support all initiatives leading to a just and sustainable peace, ensuring the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders, and we will lay the groundwork for peacefully discussing all issues.”

He expressed hope that peace would return to Ukraine in 2023.

“Once peace is restored and Russia withdraws its forces from sovereign Ukrainian territory, the OSCE will help Ukraine repair the damages of war. The OSCE has been helping through the donor-funded Ukraine Support Program during the war but will do even more when peace comes. I hope and believe I will witness the beginning of peace and recovery during our chairpersonship,” North Macedonia’s foreign minister said. mr/