U.S. at OSCE: Russia shows no willingness to stop war

Russia can and should stop its war against Ukraine at any time, but it has shown no willingness to do so.

Charge d'Affaires, a.i. Katherine Brucker said this at a meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna on Thursday, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

"Russia can stop the war, and it can do so at any time. And it should: it should do so right away. But it has shown no willingness to do so," Brucker said.

She said the United States will continue to support Ukraine in its defense against Russian aggression.

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The U.S. diplomat also raised in her speech the topic of Russia's war crimes against Ukrainian children. She mentioned a UNICEF report, according to which more than 1,957 of Ukraine's children have been killed or injured since 2022. However, this number only includes UN-verified reports and is likely much higher.

"UNICEF estimates that over the past two years, children living in cities near the frontline of Russia's war have been forced to spend between 3,000 and 5,000 hours sheltering underground. That's the equivalent of four to seven months confined to a basement, a bunker, or a hole in the ground," Brucker said.

Against this background, she noted that the United States "is proud to back the OSCE Support Program for Ukraine's project addressing children's psychosocial needs."

"The United States is committed to working with Ukraine, the OSCE, and other partners to ensure those suffering in Ukraine receive the support they need," Brucker said.