OSCE sees war in Ukraine as “stark reminder” of difficulties of multilateralism

April 20 () –

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has assured that the war in Ukraine is a “clear reminder” of the difficulties faced by multilateralism and has regretted the “deep uncertainty” in which the countries of the group.

“Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine not only echoes in the dark corridors of history, but also serves as a stark reminder of the tests our multilateral system currently faces,” said OSCE Chairman-in-Office Ian Borg, during the annual meeting on cooperation between the United Nations and the regional organization.

In this regard, Borg noted that we are in “testing times” and urged the international community to “go beyond supporting the cause of multilateralism and commit to an effective, tangible and sustainable commitment.”

Thus, he argued, not only would steps be taken to prevent the outbreak of new conflicts, but a lasting peace would also be fostered, especially taking into account that the current multilateral frameworks “are being eroded in their effort to satisfy the complex demands of the real world”.

“By using the organization as a platform for accountability for acts that violate these principles, that is why we must, and will, keep Russia's illegal war of aggression against Ukraine at the top of the agenda,” he added in relation to the specific case of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The OSCE representative has assured that this principle is also applicable to other conflicts such as those in Nagorno-Karabakh, Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Transnistria. “Our goal is to collaborate with all parties to improve the prospects for a comprehensive resolution of conflicts, avoiding escalation and restoring stability,” he added.