Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with other (1) Council of Europe, and (2) Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, members to deal with tensions arising over Belarus and the Ukraine.

We regularly use our public communications and position in multilateral fora, such as the UN and the OSCE. The Prime Minister has met with world leaders including those of the US, Italy, Poland, Romania, France, Germany, the European Council, the European Commission and NATO to discuss the situation in Ukraine. On 22 February, the Minister for Europe and North America spoke at a Reinforced OSCE Meeting on the situation in and around Ukraine where he condemned President Putin's decision to recognise the so-called Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics, and called out Russia for undermining the Minsk process. We will stand by the people of Ukraine and the Minister for Europe and North America called on other participating States to do likewise. On 23 February, the Council of Europe discussed the implications of Russia's actions against Ukraine. Our Ambassador emphasised that Russia had violated the sovereignty and territorial integrity of a fellow Council of Europe member, and that the Council had a responsibility to act.