Dmytro Razumkov, "International partners, in particular, the OSCE, have helped reduce tensions on Ukraine's state border"

Information Department of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Secretariat
28 May 2021, 09:29


Tensions along Ukraine's state border have been reduced with the help of international partners, including the OSCE. This was stated by Chairperson of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Dmytro Razumkov during the meeting with OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid.
“l"Recently, everyone has observed a tense situation on the borders of our state on the part of the Russian Federation. Only thanks to the position of Ukraine, international partners and international organizations, in particular the OSCE, we were able to make the situation less tense than it was a month ago," said the Speaker of the Parliament.
According to Dmytro Razumkov, today it is important to increase the number of representatives of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission, as their presence is currently insufficient.
The Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada also noted that global cooperation with the OSCE is important for Ukraine, especially after the increase in the number of shellings since the beginning of 2021. "In fact, since December last year, we have seen a significant increase in shelling by the so-called Luhansk and Donetsk People's Republics and a significant increase in the number of wounded and dead," said Dmytro Razumkov. He added that this demonstrates a de facto violation of the agreements reached in the Normandy and Minsk formats.
The Speaker drew special attention to the violation of human rights and freedoms in the temporarily occupied territories of Donbass and Crimea. "Special attention should be paid to the lack of access of the Red Cross to our prisoners of war, hostages who are in the temporarily occupied territories," he said.
During the meeting, the parties also discussed the course of a number of reforms in Ukraine. Dmytro Razumkov noted that currently a large number of resources, including human potential, are focused on protecting the territorial integrity and security of our state. At the same time, according to him, over the past two years in our country there are achievements, in particular, in the implementation of anti-corruption, land and other reforms.
In turn, Helga Maria Schmid noted that the main purpose of her first visit to Ukraine is to get acquainted with the situation in the east of the country and strengthen cooperation between the OSCE and Ukraine.
During her visit, the Secretary General will also meet with the staff of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine and the OSCE Project Coordinator in Ukraine. She also plans to meet with representatives of international humanitarian organizations, as well as with representatives of civil society and youth activists.
OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid plans to visit eastern Ukraine to see for herself the situation in the conflict-affected areas and the work carried out by the Special

Monitoring Mission and the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine, and to talk to local administrations. She also stressed that the proposals made during the conversation will be carefully considered, and wished success to the Ukrainian people.