OSCE Annual Security Review Conference takes places against backdrop of war on Ukraine

VIENNA, 29 June 2022 – The Annual Security Review Conference (ASRC), the OSCE’s main event for enhancing dialogue on regional security challenges, took place on 28 and 29 June 2022.

“This year’s Annual Security Review Conference takes place against the backdrop of an unprecedented security crisis in the OSCE area. We face the most serious collapse of security architecture since the Helsinki Final Act was adopted,” said OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau in his introductory remarks.

“Sadly, the fracture came from within the Organization. One participating State, Russia, launched unprovoked military aggression against another participating State, Ukraine. Virtually, all the OSCE founding rules and principles have been violated,” he added.

“Russia’s ongoing military attack against Ukraine must stop,” said OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid.

The work of the OSCE supports Ukraine and other participating States suffering the consequences of the war “through our field missions, through our institutions, and the secretariat,” she added, emphasizing “the principles on which the OSCE was founded nearly 50 years ago remain the essential foundation.”