OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Miroslav Lajčák meets with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin

BRUSSELS, 17 February 2019 – OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Minister for Foreign and European Affairs of Slovakia Miroslav Lajčák met today with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin ahead of tomorrow’s discussion on Ukraine at the EU Foreign Affairs Council.

Following up on his visit to Ukraine earlier this year, Minister Lajčák suggested a range of concrete measures to ease the humanitarian consequences of the crisis in and around Ukraine for the people most affected by it. “These small but very concrete proposals would make a real difference for the people on the ground,” he stressed.

Minister Lajčák once again reiterated his deep regret about the decision of the Ukrainian authorities, which de-facto denies accreditation to ODIHR’s international observers with passports from the Russian Federation.

“Our Heads of State have all committed to invite observers from other participating States that wish to observe our elections, including through ODIHR,” the Chairperson-in-Office said. “I remain convinced that not accepting accreditation for all ODIHR’s observers is not in line with the OSCE commitments and therefore not in the best interest of the OSCE, Ukraine or its people.”

“As helping to resolve the crisis in and around Ukraine is a key priority for our Chairmanship, we count on Ukraine’s constructive engagement with the OSCE,” Lajčák said.

The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office intends to discuss the situation in and around Ukraine, along with other issues, with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov later this week in Moscow.