Russia is widening insecurity while refusing the path to peace: UK statement to the OSCE

Thank you, Mr Chair. In recent months, the Russian Federation has intensified its attacks against Ukraine. It has launched record numbers of drones, maintained a high rate of missile attacks and continued to strike Ukraine's cities, energy network and civilian infrastructure. At the same time, the Russian state has expanded its disruptive activity beyond Ukraine, affecting the borders, airspace and infrastructure of participating States across Europe.

This escalation does not demonstrate confidence. Nor does it make a Russian victory likely. It reflects the persistent failure of the Russian Armed Forces to translate extensive expenditure and significant manpower into decisive progress on the battlefield.

Russia's advances have slowed in 2026 compared to their already grinding rate in 2025, despite continuing to suffer exceptionally high casualties. An increasingly high price is being paid for ever slowing advances. Russia has now reportedly sustained approximately 1.5 million casualties - with 42000 alone in August. Its mobilisation system faces increasing pressure. And despite concentrating significant forces in eastern Ukraine, Russia has failed to achieve a decisive breakthrough. Ukraine, meanwhile, continues to resist and conduct counterattacks.

The Russian Government assumes that it can outwait Ukraine's partners - but this is misguided. The United Kingdom remains firmly committed to Ukraine and will continue to provide the support it needs to defend its sovereignty, freedom and territorial integrity.

Mr Chair, Russia's military position must also be considered alongside its diplomatic conduct. Ukraine has repeatedly demonstrated its readiness to pursue peace through diplomatic means. It has repeatedly offered an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, which Russia continues to refuse. By contrast, Russia has repeated demands that would amount to Ukraine's surrender while intensifying mass air attacks on Ukrainian cities.

The conclusion is unavoidable: the Russian Government is not seriously interested in peace. A state preparing for meaningful negotiations does not reject a ceasefire while increasing its attacks on cities and civilian infrastructure. It does not demand that another participating State surrender sovereign territory which its armed forces have failed to capture after a decade of fighting.

There is also a wider pattern of escalatory activity beyond Ukraine. As Russia's progress on the battlefield has remained stalled, the Russian state has increasingly turned to airspace violations, sabotage, cyber activity and attacks against infrastructure. These reckless actions undermine security in Europe and they cannot be considered separately from Russia's war against Ukraine. They form part of a wider attempt to impose costs on Ukraine's partners, test our responses and weaken our collective resolve.

Such actions impose costs across the OSCE area. Participating States must devote additional resources to protecting airspace, securing critical infrastructure, investigating sabotage and strengthening resilience against cyber and other disruptive activity. Each airspace violation or unexplained incident also increases the danger of misunderstanding and miscalculation. This deliberate widening of insecurity is incompatible with Russia's claim that it seeks stability or peace; so too is its claim that it poses no threat to Europe.

Russia's intensification of attacks in Ukraine and its disruptive activity elsewhere are not evidence of success. And increasing the geographical scope and economic cost of insecurity will not change the fundamental realities on the battlefield. Nor will it weaken the United Kingdom's commitment to Ukraine, or our NATO unity.

Mr Chair, the path to peace remains clear. Russia should agree to an immediate ceasefire and engage seriously in negotiations towards a just and lasting peace. Despite efforts to portray the UK as seeking conflict, I want to be clear again - we do not, and neither does NATO as an Alliance. But we will continue to support Ukraine's inherent right to self-defence. We will work with our partners to protect our shared security, and we will maintain pressure on the Kremlin while it continues its illegal war.