1.Mr Chair, at the outset we would like to voice our full support for your Chairpersonship and for the way you have handled our meetings in these critical circumstances as Russia embarks on a futile mission to block and render ineffective the work of the OSCE Forum for Security Co-operation.
2.We are grateful for your efforts to allow all participating States to address the critical challenge of today – Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, including by organising the FSC Chair’s Informal Consultations. It seems that the Russian Federation itself is very fond of these consultations, as it put an ‘informal consultation’ heading on an unrelated presentation which it distributed last week.
3.With today’s fourth blocking of this Forum’s agenda, Russia has now blocked half of the FSC meetings under your Chairpersonship. However, despite all attempts by Russia to prevent this Forum from working in accordance with the OSCE Rules of Procedure and to prevent it from fulfilling its tasks in line with its mandate, it remains unclear why Russia has decided to disregard the Rules of Procedure, to disrespect the Chair of this Forum and to abandon its OSCE commitments.
4.The agenda itself, consisting of only ‘general statements’ and ‘any other business,’which is fully in line with Rules of Procedure, cannot be a valid reason for Russia’s obstructive behaviour. The representatives of the Russian Federation present in the Neuer Saal have had the opportunity to say exactly what they wanted to say in this Forum, with the other participating States listening, something that cannot be said for Russia itself. No one prevented Russian representatives here from intervening.
5.There is no reason why the conduct of this Forum should not be in line with its Mandate and the OSCE Rules of Procedure. The EU and its Member States condemn Russia’s shameful tactic of disrespect and threats. We will continue to do our part to make sure that this Forum continues to function, which is in the interest of all 57 participating States.

Thank you.
The Candidate Countries NORTH MACEDONIA*, MONTENEGRO*, ALBANIA*, UKRAINE, the REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA, BOSNIA and HERZEGOVINA*, and GEORGIA, the EFTA countries ICELAND, LIECHTENSTEIN and NORWAY, members of the European Economic Area, as well as ANDORRA and SAN MARINO align themselves with this statement.
* North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania, and Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.