Finland Chairs Closing Session of OSCE Forum for Security Co-operation

On 10 December, Finland chaired the closing session of the OSCE Forum for Security Co-operation (FSC). “During our FSC Chairpersonship we have had a clear objective: to keep support for Ukraine at the forefront of the forum and to underscore Russia’s accountability for its war of aggression and the crimes committed in and against Ukraine”, stated Mr. Mikael Antell, Deputy Director General of the Political Department of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland. 

He underscored that “There cannot be any return to spheres of interest. Ukraine, as any other participating State has the right to freely choose their security arrangements. We must not fail the people of the participating States. They deserve to live in freedom, peace and safety, in stable democratic societies”.

During its FSC Chairpersonship, Finland highlighted themes such as resilience, the OSCE Code of Conduct on Politico-Military Aspects of Security — particularly the principle of command responsibility, Women, Peace and Security, and the Helsinki Final Act.  It convened two security dialogues, one on “Resilience through Comprehensive Security” and another on “Helsinki Final Act 50 Years”. The third planned security dialogue, “Sexual and Gender-Based Violence as a Weapon of War” was organized as a Chair’s side event. 

In addition, Finland organized an OSCE Code of Conduct seminar in Helsinki, which focused on military commanders’ responsibility to uphold international humanitarian law. It also marked the 25th anniversary of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security with a dedicated event and an exhibition “Arm Women Now”, showcasing the resilience of Ukrainian servicewomen and the need for gender-sensitive equipment.

Support for Ukraine has been a cross-cutting priority for Finland. “Standing with Ukraine means standing for justice and international law, while safeguarding the rules-based international order that underpins our collective security. As Chair, we have consistently highlighted the importance of the FSC as a forum for accountability,” stated Ambassador Vesa Häkkinen.

The agenda of the session also included a briefing by the Chair of the Informal Working Group (IWG) on Structured Dialogue, Ambassador Ellen Svendsen (Norway).