OSCE PA President: Russia must withdraw troops from Ukraine

Russia should make urgent steps aimed at a peaceful settlement of the conflict in Ukraine, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE Ilkka Kanerva claimed at the 60th Parliamentary Assembly in the Hague, BBC reports.

The key OSCE commitments were neglected during the conflict in Ukraine because the territorial integrity of one of the member states was violated, Kanerva noted. He urged all the sides to stick to the ceasefire agreement and obey to all the provisions of Minsk protocol and memorandum.

Russia must withdraw all its troops and military equipment from Ukraine and its borders and stop supporting separatists in order to settle the crisis peacefully, the OSCE PA President said.

According to the Helsinki Accords signed in 1975, all countries have the right to join or not to join international organizations, unions and treaties, Kanerva reminded. Thus, it means that only Ukraine has the right to decide whether to join NATO.

Photo: yle.fi