Thank you, Mr Chair. 21 November marked 10 years since the Euromaidan, where Ukrainians stood up for their future as citizens of a sovereign, democratic and prosperous European state. Today, Ukraine continues to fight for its future and defend our shared values of freedom and self-determination.
The UK will continue to defend the values of the international system that Russia is shattering, including the Helsinki Final Act principles which are the cornerstone of this organisation.
For more than 630 days, Russia has carried out its unprovoked, premeditated, and barbaric attack against a sovereign democratic state. Russia's egregious actions infringe upon the very principles of the OSCE, and the OSCE's wide-ranging agenda. Today's Permanent Council is no exception. We will discuss the silencing of journalists and dissenting voices in Russia and the temporarily Russian-controlled territories. We will also discuss violence against women and girls, Russia's full-scale invasion brings with it devastating reports of conflict-related sexual violence against Ukrainian women and girls.
Last week, my Foreign Secretary visited Kyiv. He visited Odesa and saw Ukraine's progress in pushing back Russian forces. He also announced £10 million for Ukraine's Red Cross Society appeal to provide medical supplies to communities impacted by Russia's aggression.
The UK and our allies are committed to providing Ukraine with the needs to defend itself as it fights for survival and territorial integrity. This is the swiftest, and only path to a just and sustainable peace based on the UN Charter, where Ukraine can pursue its ambitions as a sovereign nation. We will stand by Ukraine for however long it takes, and Ukraine will prevail. Thank you.
