COPENHAGEN, 28 May 2026 – The following joint statement was issued today by the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s Parliamentary Support Team for Ukraine in response to the recent growing escalation in Ukraine:
“The OSCE PA's Parliamentary Support Team for Ukraine (PSTU), chaired by Nancy Faeser (Germany), notes with serious concern the ongoing escalation of the security situation, further intensified by recent public remarks from senior officials of the Russian Federation referring to the potential use of weapons of mass destruction and indicating the possibility of intensified strikes on Kyiv. These statements contribute to a heightened risk of further escalation.
The PSTU also notes warnings by the Russian Federation to foreign governments to withdraw their diplomatic personnel from Kyiv, accompanied by threats of 'systematic strikes' on the capital. The PSTU underscores that such statements increase the risk of further destabilization and undermine potential de‑escalation efforts. Diplomatic missions must be protected under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. Civilians, civilian infrastructure and cultural heritage should be protected in accordance with international law. Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders must be fully respected, as reaffirmed in multiple OSCE PA Declarations.
The Parliamentary Support Team welcomes the continued efforts of the United States, participating States of the OSCE, and other international partners to support de‑escalation.
The PSTU calls on the Russian Federation to refrain from further escalatory rhetoric or threats, ensure the inviolability of diplomatic missions, comply fully with OSCE commitments and international law and engage constructively in the search for avenues aimed at reducing tensions and preventing further deterioration of the security situation. The PSTU and Special Rapporteur Boris Dittrich renew their call to the Russian Federation to release the three detained OSCE officials Dmytro Shabanov, Maksym Petrov and Vadym Golda, whose continued detention remains a matter of serious concern.
This statement follows the initial reaction of OSCE PA President Pere Joan Pons to the recent attacks. The PSTU will continue to monitor developments closely.”
For more information on the work of the PSTU, please click here.
