Artur Gerasymov and Roberto Montella in Copenhagen, 1 March 2023COPENHAGEN, 3 March 2023 – Following up on a series of meetings held last week by the Ukrainian Delegation with OSCE Parliamentary Assembly leaders, the Deputy Head of the Ukrainian Delegation and Vice-Chair of the PA’s economic and environmental committee, Artur Gerasymov, visited Copenhagen this week for extensive talks with Secretary General Roberto Montella, Deputy Secretary General Gustavo Pallares and relevant expert staff to assess the current status within the OSCE PA on the Ukraine dossier.

During the three-day visit, Gerasymov expressed great appreciation on behalf of the Ukrainian Delegation for Secretary General Montella’s strong remarks outlining the impeccable track record of political support that President Margareta Cederfelt (Sweden) and the Assembly’s leadership have displayed throughout the years on Ukraine.

On Thursday, Head of the Ukrainian Delegation Mykyta Poturaiev joined the discussion from Kyiv. The importance of Ukraine’s participation in the work of the PA, including through its Permanent Mission in Vienna, was underlined in the talks.

Discussions also focused on the preparation of the Assembly’s upcoming meeting of the Bureau in Copenhagen and this summer’s Annual Session in Vancouver. Poturaiev expressed appreciation for the support of the Secretariat to the Ukraine Delegation to ensure that the political momentum stemming from the Birmingham Declaration recently reiterated and strengthened in the Vienna Joint Declaration in support of Ukraine and condemning the Russian Federation’s war of aggression is maintained.

Roberto Montella and Artur Gerasymov in Copenhagen, 1 March 2023Gerasymov and Poturaiev said that the top priority for the OSCE PA is to preserve its credibility in a moment when the Organization’s fundamental values are under assault by the brutal war of aggression against Ukraine waged by the Russian Federation.

Montella noted that the Assembly should continue utilizing all the political assets it has in its toolbox in line with its procedures, to contribute within the means available to an organization like the OSCE to bring the war to an end in full respect for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders, and to ensure justice and accountability for war crimes.

Poturaiev, Gerasymov, Montella, Pallares and staff agreed to continue close work in the upcoming months to ensure a successful outcome at the Vancouver Annual Session on the Ukraine dossier.