The Head of the OSCE in Kyiv To Discuss Extra-Budgetary Support for Ukraine
The Head of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), and the Foreign Minister of North Macedonia, Bujar Osmani, arrived in Ukraine on October 16 for an official visit, according to an announcement by the OSCE press office.
Osmani is set to meet with Ukrainian government officials, parliamentarians, and the OSCE Program staff responsible for providing extra-budgetary support to Ukraine.
Discussions during the visit will focus on the most pressing challenges faced by civilians due to Russia's aggressive war against Ukraine. They will also touch on the future role of the OSCE in supporting Ukraine's people, institutions, and civil society.
Speaking to CivilMedia during his journey to Kyiv, Bujar Osmani stated that during his tenure as the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office (from January 1, 2023), Ukraine remains a top priority for the organization. He emphasized that the situation in Ukraine will determine the approach to comprehensive security in Europe.
"When we began our term as the OSCE Chair, we set a principle: no ordinary matters this year. We cannot discuss ordinary OSCE topics from the perspective of comprehensive security. When the foundations of your organization are being shaken, you must focus on it, and in Ukraine, this is precisely what is happening – Russian aggression against Ukraine is undermining the principles of the international order," Osmani stated. He added that the OSCE is currently running 21 projects in Ukraine, including demining efforts.
In 2023, the Chairmanship of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe was handed over from Poland to North Macedonia. On January 12, 2023, in Vienna, Bujar Osmani, the Foreign Minister of North Macedonia, presented the program for his chairmanship of the OSCE. He stressed that Ukraine would remain a priority during his country's leadership. In the midst of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the OSCE aims to act as an intermediary for ending Russian aggression.
Osmani mentioned that he began his term as the OSCE Chair in 2023 with a visit to Ukraine and has now chosen to return to the country later in the year.
As previously reported by The Gaze, the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly passed a declaration recognizing Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism and the Wagner Group as a terrorist organization.