Oleksandr Korniyenko addresses the OSCE PA Bureau and PSTU members in Kyiv, 12 Feb. 2025KYIV, 13 February 2025 – Visiting Kyiv this week, a 22-member delegation of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly has met with leaders of the country and discussed the importance of the international community continuing to stand strongly with Ukraine to decisively tackle the complex challenges posed by the Russian Federation’s ongoing war of aggression. Interlocutors expressed appreciation for the OSCE PA convening in Kyiv at such a critical juncture and noted that it was the first multilateral organization to do so since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022.

The delegation, led by President Pia Kauma (Finland) and including members of the Bureau and the Parliamentary Support Team for Ukraine, has met with Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Ruslan Stephanchuk, Prime Minister Denys Shmygal, Deputy Foreign Minister Mariana Betsa, Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine Ambassador Petr Mareš, and Ukraine’s Delegation to the PA.

“As the 50th anniversary of the OSCE’s founding document – the Helsinki Final Act – approaches, we are here as a reaffirmation of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s full support to the government, civil society, and people of Ukraine as they continue to face immense challenges,” said President Kauma. “As the political situation evolves and prospects for a resolution of the conflict grow, it is important that we have the fullest picture possible to ensure that Ukraine’s needs are met, and to make clear our position that any negotiations about Ukraine must include Ukraine at the table.”

Pia Kauma and Ruslan Stephanchuk in Kyiv, 12 Feb. 2025As a statement of the PA’s commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty, democracy and resilience, the OSCE parliamentarians held a Bureau meeting on Wednesday in the Verkhovna Rada where they heard presentations by Deputy Chairman of the Rada Oleksandr Korniyenko, Ombudsperson Dmytro Lubinets and member of Ukraine’s PA Delegation Yaroslav Yurchyshyn. The issue of prisoners of war and political prisoners featured prominently, with Bureau members hearing from three former captives presenting their personal testimonies of abduction and imprisonment by Russian forces.

During the discussion, OSCE PA members emphasized that with renewed hopes for a cessation of hostilities, there should be consideration to how the OSCE PA, its PSTU, and the OSCE more broadly can most effectively contribute by conducting fact-finding missions, monitoring activities and confidence-building.

Bureau and PSTU members heard about the human rights situation in Ukraine, with a focus on detained and missing civilians, women, and children. Discussions touched on sanctions, defence spending, accountability and justice for war crimes, the systematic targeting by Russia of energy and gas infrastructure, the return of refugees and internally displaced persons, the return of forcibly displaced children, and the reintegration of war veterans dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Pia Kauma and Denys Shmygal in Kyiv, 13 Feb. 2025Members also discussed media freedom during the war and countering Russian propaganda, as well as the importance of returning journalists from Russian captivity.

The delegation participated in a ceremony honoring National Guard servicemen, parliamentarians and Verkhovna Rada employees who died during their service near the Verkhovna Rada on 31 August 2015. With visits to several locations in the vicinity of Kyiv, the delegation has learned about crimes against the civilian population and the destruction of the critical infrastructure.

The delegation also visited the OSCE’s Support Programme for Ukraine office in Kyiv and met with the relatives of Maxim Petrov, Dmytro Shabanov, and Vadym Golda – the OSCE staff members detained and sentenced by the Russian Federation.

Meetings with civil society representatives marked the conclusion of the intensive visit. The PA’s delegation included members of 12 national parliaments, support staff and members of the International Secretariat, including Secretary General Roberto Montella.

President Kauma will report on the visit to Kyiv at the OSCE PA’s Winter Meeting in Vienna, taking place on 20-21 February.

Photos of the visit are available for public use on Flickr.