COPENHAGEN, 19 November 2024 – OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Pia Kauma (Finland) and members of the OSCE PA’s Parliamentary Support Team for Ukraine (PSTU) called today for strengthening Ukraine’s resilience as it marks 1000 days since the beginning of the full-scale military invasion by the Russian Federation in clear violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders.

“This somber occasion serves as a testament to the immense hardship that Ukraine and its people continue to endure, with hundreds of thousands of lives lost, millions fled and displaced, and a dramatic impact on the civilian population,” noted President Kauma. “The human tragedy and the widespread suffering are having far-reaching consequences including within the OSCE.”

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly continues to support tireless efforts of the Maltese OSCE Chairpersonship and the OSCE Secretariat in working for immediate release of Vadym Golda, Maxim Petrov and Dmytro Shabanov, detained in Donetsk and Luhansk since April 2022. As stated in its Bucharest Declaration, the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly urges the Russian Federation to immediately release all three officials. “Their detention and sentencing represent a violation of international law,” said President Kauma.

Recent attacks on critical energy infrastructure across Ukraine, together with the killing of innocent civilians, forced relocation of Ukrainian children, wartime sexual violence, mine contamination, nuclear risk, food chain supply interruptions, have all triggered dire human suffering, in complete contravention to the OSCE principles and commitments, the PSTU noted.

The PSTU stressed that it will continue to work tirelessly to lend its contribution to strengthening Ukraine’s resilience.

“As we mark this grim milestone, we are confident that in the medium to long term Ukraine will emerge stronger and more resilient,” said members of the PSTU.