On 22 February 2022, the State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia, Andris Pelšs, took part in the meeting of the Permanent Council of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) convened in response to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.
Andris Pelšs condemned in the strongest terms Russia’s decision to recognise, in a blatant violation of international law, the independence of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions outside the Ukrainian government’s control, thus moving ahead with the unlawful change of borders in Europe that Russia began eight years ago.
There is a risk that the decision made by the President of Russia could prompt further incursion by Russian troops into Ukraine under the smokescreen of peacekeeping forces. The deployment of fictitious Russian peacekeeping forces had been witnessed on earlier occasions in Moldova, Georgia, and the illegally annexed Crimea.
State Secretary Pelšs underlined that the international community was already responding firmly to recent developments, and it is expected that Russia will be targeted with robust sanctions, including economical ones.
At this point in time, the ability to observe and report on the current situation is of special importance; therefore, the mandate of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission in Ukraine must be extended without further delay.
The State Secretary deplored Russia’s avoidance of providing adequate explanations concerning its military activities in the immediate vicinity of Ukraine’s borders.
The Foreign Ministry’s State Secretary reaffirmed Latvia’s support for sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders.