PRESS RELEASE : The UK will continue supporting Ukraine as long as Russia persists with its imperial conquest: UK statement to the OSCE [February 2024]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 14 February 2024.
UK military advisor, Nicholas Aucott, says that Russia abandons the position of a responsible global power by breaking sanctions it previously supported, turning to Iran and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea for military support.
Thank you, Mr Chair. Towards the end of last year, I referenced the Russian Delegation’s statement on the eve of war. ‘The idea of there being plans for a “Russian invasion” of Ukraine was hatched inside the US Department of State’. Within 24 hours, Russia had illegally invaded its neighbour, Ukraine. In this moment, Russia demonstrated its willingness to misinform the members of this Forum, and to violate the Organisation’s aims of ‘creating greater openness, transparency and co-operation’.
In the intervening two years, we have listened repeatedly to a litany of further misinformation as Russia has sought to justify its violation of the prohibition on the use of force at Article 2(4) of the UN Charter, resulting in the deaths of thousands of Ukrainian civilians.
For Russia, the consequence of its unprovoked war of aggression is a diminishment in international standing. Since the start of the full-scale invasion, not one other member of this Forum has spoken in support of Russia’s actions – while Russia’s influence and gravitas has eroded across multinational fora.
Russia abandons the position of a responsible global power by opting to break sanctions that it itself ascribed to, turning to Iran and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea for military support. Russia now abuses the consensus principle, or simply issues threats of manipulation such as we heard when it stated it would, ‘train the current Chair and future Chairs until we have appropriate outcomes, so get ready for next week’.
Mr Chair, as Russia continues in this egregious behaviour, the United Kingdom will continue to stand firm in support of Ukraine as it defends its people, its territory and the principles of sovereignty and self-determination. As Putin’s three-day war closes in on the two-year point, Ukraine continues to inflict significant damage on Russia in a conflict of Russia’s own making.
The shooting down of an SU-34 FULLBACK combat aircraft over East Luhansk on 30 January brings the number of Russian fixed wing combat aircraft losses to over 80. And, on 1 February, the loss of a Russian missile corvette, the TARANTUL-III Class IVANOVETS, provided further evidence of the continued vulnerability of Russian warships operating in the Black Sea.
The United Kingdom will continue supporting Ukraine for as long as Russia insists on persisting with this imperial conquest. Through the UK-Ukraine Agreement on Security Cooperation, the Maritime Capability Coalition or a host of other initiatives, which now amount to almost £12Bn in support for Ukraine, the United Kingdom and our allies will remain resolute.
Russia must acknowledge the impact of its egregious actions and take the necessary steps to end its war of choice by withdrawing all its troop from Ukraine’s internationally recognised borders and working towards a sustainable and just peace. Thank you.
