Ukraine elected to Organization for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, Russia rejected for third time
For the third time in a row, Russia failed to join the Executive Council of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), while Ukraine was elected to the governing body.
According to Censor.NET, this was stated by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha.
Ukraine joins the governing body of the OPCW
According to the Foreign Minister, on November 26, Ukraine, Slovakia, and Slovenia were elected to the OPCW Executive Council for the period 2026–2028, while Russia lost its seat for the third time in a row. Sybiha cited the results of the vote:
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Ukraine — 99 votes;
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Slovakia — 107 votes;
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Slovenia — 122 votes.
The minister emphasized that the international community had demonstrated a clear position on the aggressor country.
"Despite all attempts by the aggressor state, the participating states have made a clear choice: a systematic violator of the Chemical Weapons Convention cannot influence the governing body of the OPCW," Sybiha emphasized.
Almost 3,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been affected by chemical attacks
Russia regularly uses ammunition containing toxic substances against Ukraine, violating international law. This was previously stated by the Ukrainian delegation to the OSCE.
The Ukrainian side emphasizes that these are not accidental incidents, but a deliberate tactic by the Russian Federation that threatens the security of Ukraine and the world. Kyiv notes that Russia is ignoring the Chemical Weapons Convention and violating international rules.
Sanctions for the use of chemical weapons
The European Union has previously extended sanctions against individuals involved in the use and proliferation of chemical weapons until October 16, 2026. These restrictions apply to 25 individuals and six companies. Their assets have been frozen and they are prohibited from conducting any financial transactions. In addition, individuals on the list are not allowed to enter EU countries.
In 2018, the European Council stated that the use of chemical weapons is absolutely unacceptable and must be condemned. Since then, the EU has regularly updated its sanctions lists.
