Madam Chair,
On 30 and 31 October, Canada, Norway, and Ukraine co-hosted in Montreal a Ministerial Conference on the Human Dimension of Ukraine’s 10-Point Peace Formula.
Prime Minister Trudeau of Canada welcomed a diverse group of states to the conference to work together to return all prisoners of war, unlawfully detained civilians and unlawfully deported or forcibly transferred children and ensure their rights are respected.
At the conference, Ministers of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly, Espen Barth Eide and Andrii Sybiha announced the Montréal Pledge of concrete steps to help return prisoners of war, unlawfully detained civilians, and deported children, including support as they reintegrate into their daily lives.
The Montréal Pledge reaffirms our common commitment to promoting international peace and security and upholding international law. It also underscores the critical importance of collective action in ensuring the release and humane treatment of detainees, and in particular the crucial role of neutral intermediaries and mediators.
Additionally, the Pledge calls for raising awareness not only to highlight the urgent need for action but to strengthen international resolve in addressing these injustices.
Representatives from more than 70 countries and international organizations attended the conference to advance Ukraine’s 10-Point Peace Formula, identify diplomatic approaches to address the human dimension of the war and strengthen the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children. Participants engaged in discussions and exchanges of ideas during several thematic sessions.
We are particularly thankful to the Officer in Charge/Secretary General of the OSCE, Ms. Kate Fearon, for her attendance at the conference and for raising the detention of the three detained OSCE officials – Maxim Petrov, Dmytro Shabanov, Vadym Golda. We join her in calling on the Russian Federation - yet again - for their immediate and unconditional release.
We are also thankful for the participation of the Chairperson-in-Office, Minister Ian Borg, and appreciate Malta’s strong support and engagement on this issue.
Madam Chair,
We condemn Russia's illegal, unprovoked, and unjustifiable war of aggression against Ukraine. We recall the Russian Federation’s obligation to respect international law and international humanitarian law.
The harrowing survivor testimonies shared during the conference — from a detained Ukrainian military medic, the wife of an imprisoned journalist, and a former prisoner of war — served as powerful reminders of the human cost of Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Our countries are grateful to all those who are engaged on these issues, participated actively, and offered their support. We particularly wish to thank Qatar, South Africa and the Holy See for their offer to serve as intermediaries to support the return of children; the United Arab Emirates for continuing to mediate the exchanges of prisoners of war; and Lithuania and Qatar for their offers to provide a short-term supportive environment for Ukrainians returning home.
We consider the work under the fourth point of the 10-Point Peace Formula to be of critical importance for Ukraine and one that merits and demands our continued attention. Norway, Canada, and Ukraine will continue raising awareness about the plight of civilian detainees, prisoners of war and forcibly transferred and deported Ukrainian children, at the OSCE.
We will also continue leverage the OSCE’s toolbox to hold the Russian Federation accountable, and support Ukraine in addressing the consequences of this aggression on its people.
Thank you, Madam Chair.