Norway’s Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide emphasized the importance of preventing a “new Yalta” and the division of Europe into spheres of influence after the Russian war against Ukraine.
He made the remarks while speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the OSCE Foreign Ministers’ Council in Vienna.
“As a European, I know well: wars end. After every war comes a post-war period. And this post-war period always lasts longer than the war itself. We know this, because the division of Europe after 1945 lasted over 45 years. Some even say it continues to this day. The next post-war period will be the period after the war in Ukraine. And we must start thinking about its parameters. The most important thing for me is that there must be no new Yalta,” he said.
The minister stressed that it is crucial “that an ‘iron curtain’ does not descend over Europe again.”
“All free and independent democratic countries must have the right to choose the memberships they desire. This is a key parameter of that original agreement called the CSCE – the predecessor of the OSCE,” added the Norwegian foreign minister.
He also highlighted the importance of continuing support for Ukraine “so that it can negotiate from a position of strength and we can achieve peace.”
“No one wants peace more than the Ukrainian people – a just and lasting peace. And after that, we will have to address the consequences: the restoration of Ukraine, as well as ensuring that Europe once again becomes Europe – a space of full European cooperation,” said Norway’s foreign minister.
