OSCE spoke out against exclusion of Russia

Russia must maintain its status of a security and cooperation member of the organization in Europe (OSCE), since European states in the future will again need communication channels for security architecture on the continent.

Such an opinion in an interview with the newspaper Die Welt expressed the Secretary General of the organization Helga Schmid.

“Unlike the Council of Europe, the OSCE does not have a suspension mechanism that could be used to exclude the Russian Federation. The preservation of diplomatic canals does not mean unity of positions. From today’s point of view, I think that Russia remains a member OSCE, ”Schmid noted, adding that“ once again we will need communication channels ”, and“ OSCE is the only organization in which everyone who is important for European security architecture is sitting at the same table. ”

Schmid also said that the OSCE was “ready to contribute” to the process of monitoring the conditions of the ceasefire in Ukraine if Moscow and Kyiv are able to agree on a truce.

Earlier, to the exclusion of Russia from among the members of the OSCE, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmitry Kuleb called.