Russia-Ukraine war 'most severe' test ever for European security body, says UN official

Raising serious concerns over Russian invasion of Ukraine, the top United Nations political affairs official on Monday told the Security Council that the "war in Ukraine is the most severe test" which the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has encountered since its founding in 1975. According to a UN report, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo expressed concerns over the deteriorating condition in the war-torn nation.

The remarks come as the 15-member organ convened its annual briefing on the European security body's operations in the backdrop of the growing conflict in major Ukrainian cities. 

UN Under-Secretary-General on mounting humanitarian crisis 

According to the UN report, DiCarlo stressed on the persistent shelling and bombing of multiple cities in Ukraine, with citizens being killed on a daily basis. Further, the Under-Secretary-General warned, “The Russian invasion has shaken the foundations of the European security architecture to its core." DiCarlo added that the current awful crisis in Ukraine clearly highlights the necessity of systems to preserve and improve European and international peace and security, underlining the organisation's history and expanding relationship with the UN. 

DiCarlo told the Council, among many other things, that Russia's invasion of Ukraine risks destabilising long-standing European confidence-building efforts, arms control treaties, as well as other institutions.  

It is to mention that in the face of terrible humanitarian conditions, the UN is stepping up its assistance for Ukraine's citizens as well as its engagement with key partners, particularly the OSCE, in the hopes of achieving an immediate ceasefire and a long-term political settlement.  

She concluded by saying, "The challenges we face today, and those potentially ahead, demand that we work even more closely together," as per the UN report. 

The European security body which was founded in 1975 as a result of the Helsinki Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, has now 57 members and acts as a vital forum for regional communication and agreements on problems like counter-terrorism, cyber security, and effective governance. In addition to electoral support, border management, as well as human rights monitoring, the OSCE performs a variety of on-the-ground responsibilities throughout Europe. 

(Image: AP/ Twitter/ @UNDPPA)