National statement on Russia's aggression against Ukraine at OSCE Special Permanent Council

On “The Russian Federation’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine"

Delivered by Permanent Representative of the Republic of Latvia

Ambassador Raimonds Oškalns

Permanent Council No. 1530 (Special),

25 August 2025

Madam Chairperson,

Latvia fully aligns itself with the statement delivered by Denmark also on our behalf. Please allow me to add some remarks in my national capacity.

Yesterday, we celebrated the Independence Day of Ukraine. This day marked Ukrainian people’s strides towards freedom, sovereignty, democracy and peace. A day before, we marked the National Flag Day in Ukraine.

The flag that belongs to the whole territory of Ukraine in its internationally recognized borders. Blue and yellow flag - a flag of resistance against the Russian aggression.

However, these days, as any other day since 24 February 2022, were overshadowed by the continuation of Russia’s full-scale aggression against Ukraine, bringing drone and missile terror, torture, rape and deportations. Day and night.

On 9 July this year, in Grand Chamber Judgement,

the European Court of Human Rights held unanimously that Russia has committed flagrant and unprecedented abuses of human rights between the start of invasion of Ukraine in May 2014, and 16 September 2022, when Russia ceased to be a Party to the European Convention on Human Rights.

The evidence presented a picture of interconnected practices of manifestly unlawful conduct by the Russian armed forces, occupying administrations and other authorities, and by armed separatists on a massive scale. Court also held that “in none of the conflicts previously [before the court] has there been such near universal condemnation of the ‘flagrant’ disregard by the respondent state for the foundations of the international legal order established after the second world war.”

Just to illustrate Russia’s cynicism and ignorance over the law and international commitments, it did not participate in the proceedings of the Court and said it would ignore the judgment.

At this moment we should also recall that, at the end of WW2, no Soviet perpetrators, or so called “liberators”, were held accountable for their various crimes committed across European countries, while Soviet boots were on the ground. It is therefore important, on the part of international community, to ensure full accountability and to bring perpetrators to justice for each and every war crime committed in and against Ukraine, including the crime of aggression.

Madam Chairperson,

Ukraine deserves and Europe needs just, sustainable and lasting peace - rooted in the principles of the UN Charter, the Helsinki Final Act and international law. Peace is something we all want for our countries. And for so many peace also means peace from Russia.

In this war of self-defense Ukraine is standing not only for its land, but also for its people and the very existence of Ukraine. Latvia remains steadfast in its support for Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders.

Thank you.