Thank you, Chair.
Norway aligns with the statement delivered by the EU, but please allow me to make a few remarks in my national capacity.
For yet another week, we have witnessed appalling and relentless Russian attacks on civilian infrastructure, civilians and children in Ukraine. The Russian war of aggression continues to impact civilians and children disproportionally. The protection of civilians, including children, is a fundamental obligation under international humanitarian law. An obligation Russia blatantly disregards.
Mr Chair,
Russia’s war of aggression denies too many Ukrainian children a future. But it cannot bomb away or steal generations of young Ukrainians’ resolve to legitimately take back a free and prosperous Ukraine. Where Russia seeks to eradicate Ukrainian identity, it grows tenfold back. Where Russia illegally deports tens of thousands of Ukrainian children, we redouble our international efforts to bring them back. As we did earlier this week at the Pathways to Peace Conference in Toronto, co-hosted with Canada and Ukraine for the second time.
Where Russia shatters vital infrastructure, vibrant communities rise from the ashes.
Because you cannot bomb a nation’s identity away, no matter how hard you try.
Mr Chair,
The OSCE cannot stop this illegal war of aggression. It is Russia that at any time can end it, and yet chooses to continue. But we can, and we do, hold Russia to account for its repeated violations of the commitments Russia has agreed to. And we can, individually and through the OSCE support programme, continue to strengthen the pillars of rehabilitation and reconstruction of Ukraine, bringing Ukrainian deported children back, supporting veterans and their families, and building back infrastructure.
[We continue to call on Russia for the immediate release of our three unlawfully detained OSCE colleagues Vadym Golda, Maxim Petrov, and Dmytro Shabanov.]
Thank you.