The United States has expressed its approval of the year-long extension of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) in Ukraine, while also voicing concerns over Russia's stance on funding. Ambassador Baer noted that the mission "has had to adapt and has dealt admirably with enormous challenges since we first adopted its mandate a year ago." The recent decision increased the number of monitors from 500 to 1000, providing some flexibility despite financial constraints.
A partial financial support package of €65 million was included for the SMM's one-year operating budget. The U.S., along with other nations, advocated for more substantial funding, but faced opposition from Russia. Baer criticized this obstructionism: “It is too bad–and, frankly, embarrassing– that even after President Putin says that the SMM should be strengthened...the Russian delegation was the only one to block giving additional needed resources to the SMM.” He suggested that Russia could save money by halting weapon shipments into Ukraine.
The leadership of Ambassador Apakan and his team received praise from the U.S. for maintaining communication with the OSCE Permanent Council under challenging conditions. However, ongoing restrictions on OSCE monitors' movements remain a concern as they hinder efforts to verify compliance with heavy weapons withdrawal as per the Minsk implementation package dated February 12.
Ambassador Baer reiterated calls for Ukraine, Russia, and Russia-backed separatists to ensure unhindered access for SMM members across Ukraine, including Crimea. The safety and security of these monitors must be guaranteed. The U.S. reaffirmed its commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within internationally recognized borders and urged full implementation of the Minsk Agreements.