The OSCE is planning to enlarge the number of monitors in the Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (OSCE SMM), OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier has said.

He said at a meeting of the CSTO Permanent Council on Monday that the OSCE was preparing for and actually monitoring the withdrawal of heavy armaments and weapon storage sites.

Indeed, it will be necessary to enlarge monitoring subgroups due to their expanded functions, Zannier said, noting that they would need many monitoring groups consisting of civilians with a military background as they will de facto act as peacekeepers.

Zannier said that monitors would be appointed by OSCE member countries but invited CSTO states to support the project and assign their representatives to the monitoring groups.

He said he would like to use the occasion to invite CSTO countries to send their representatives to the monitoring groups as well.