On 24 February 2022, the State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Andris Plešs, took part in a reinforced meeting of the Permanent Council of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) at the ministerial level convened to respond to an unprovoked full-scale military aggression by Russia on Ukraine. This was the second OSCE meeting during the present week.
Andris Pelšs underlined that military aggression against Ukraine is the responsibility of Russia and its leaders. Co-responsibility also lies on Belarus, whose territory is being used to stage an invasion, which makes Belarus an aggressor. Russia has escalated the situation and taken aggressive action against an independent and democratic European state, its sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders. Russia has violated a number of international agreements and international principles, including the United Nations Charter, the Charter of Paris, the Budapest Memorandum.
The State Secretary noted that Ukraine can count on Latvia’s support and assistance.
Andris Pelšs joined the countries calling on Russia to stop armed aggression and withdraw its troops from Ukraine.
The OSCE participating States expressed strong support for Ukraine, its sovereignty and territorial integrity within the internationally recognised borders. OSCE participating States called to question Russia’s earlier promises to seek solutions to security in Europe through diplomatic formats. It was underlined that Russia, for a long time, especially over the recent months, had lied to the international community that it does not want war, and about intentions to withdraw its forces away from the Ukrainian borders and from Belarus.
The meeting underlined the responsibility of Russia and Belarus for aggression on Ukraine, the inevitability of punishment and the determination of the OSCE participating States to decide on sweeping sanctions against Russia, Belarus, and those representing the regime.