OSCE initiates process to shut down project office in Ukraine after Russia’s turndown

Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Chairman-in-Office, Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau, and OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid announced on July 1 that the entity has initiated the process of closing the project office of coordinators in Ukraine.

“Regrettably, despite the overwhelming support from participating States for the continuation of the important work that the Project Co-ordinator has carried out for 23 years, no consensus on its mandate extension was reached due to the position of the Russian Federation,” Chairman-in-Office, Zbigniew Rau stated.

He further added that the Polish chairmanship will make every effort to preserve the Project coordinator's invaluable experience and expertise gained in the country, as well as to ensure that the OSCE remains present and engaged with Ukraine. It should be noted that all mandated activities end on July 1.

He further emphasised, "Today, when the country is facing unprecedented challenges and hardships due to the ongoing war, our support is more important than ever."

Following a unanimous decision by all participating States, the OSCE Project coordinator in Ukraine was established on June 1, 1999. Since its deployment, the OSCE Project coordinator has assisted Ukraine in its reform efforts by carrying out critical work in a variety of areas. These range from assisting victims of conflict and crisis, combating human trafficking, and assisting the country in its humanitarian demining efforts, to environmental protection and media freedom.

Russia-Ukraine war

Thousands of troops have ended up dead, billions of dollars in military hardware have been utilised, entire cities have been bombarded, however, Russia's aggressive military campaign in Ukraine continues unabated after more than four months. Forecasts for when the war will end now vary greatly. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has warned that it could last for years whereas Western intelligence agencies have reportedly stated that Russia's combat capabilities may be depleted in the coming months.

After shifting its focus to Ukraine's east, Russia has nearly completed the capture of the Luhansk province and is likely to continue its efforts until it has completed the capture of the rest of the Donetsk province - these two areas form the Donbass region. On Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that "it is pointless to set an end date" for what Russia refers to as a "special military operation in Ukraine," adding that the goal of "liberating" Donbass remained unchanged.

Image: AP