News and press releases
News and press releases from the OSCE's global activities.
OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Valtonen concludes visit to Ukraine, reiterates OSCE’s continued support as country struggles with stark impacts of Russia’s war
Publishing date: 8 January 2025
KYIV, 8 January 2025- The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Finland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Elina Valtonen, completed her first visit to Ukraine as the OSCE’s Chair.
Finland takes over OSCE Chair
Publishing date: 1 January 2025
HELSINKI/VIENNA, 1 January 2025 – Today, Finland takes over the OSCE Chairpersonship with a focus on upholding OSCE principles, supporting Ukraine, and strengthening the Organization’s resilience in order to address complex security challenges.
OSCE supports Ukraine in preventing and combating illicit trafficking of weapons, ammunition and explosives
Publishing date: 13 December 2024
On 11 December, over 100 representatives of Ukrainian authorities, international organizations, diplomatic missions and civil society participated in the Second National Conference on Preventing and Combating Illicit Trafficking of Weapons, Ammunition and Explosives (WAE) in Kyiv.
Human rights situation in Ukraine deteriorates as attacks intensify amid ongoing persecution in Russian-occupied territories: OSCE human rights office
Publishing date: 13 December 2024
WARSAW, 13 December 2024 – The human rights situation in Ukraine has continued to worsen amid increased aerial attacks that include systematic strikes on the country’s energy infrastructure, as well as intensified hostilities on the front line, leading to a surge in civilian casualties.
OSCE trains Ukrainian rescuers to provide gender-responsive humanitarian response
Publishing date: 12 December 2024
From 2 to 7 December 2024, two in-person workshops on women’s leadership in humanitarian response were held in Lviv, Ukraine. The workshops, organized by the OSCE Gender Issues Programme, through its WIN Project, aimed at equipping 54 participants from the State Emergency Service of Ukraine (SESU) with tools to expand their leadership roles during and after the ongoing war.
Ministerial Council side-event marks 30 years of the OSCE code of conduct on Politico-Military aspects of security
Publishing date: 6 December 2024
On 6 December, on the margins of the 31st OSCE Ministerial Council, the Maltese OSCE Chairpersonship, in collaboration with the incoming Finnish Chairpersonship of the OSCE and the Danish Chair of the Forum for Security Co-operation (FSC), hosted a high-level side event to mark the 30th anniversary of the adoption of the OSCE Code of Conduct on Politico-Military Aspects of Security.
We must strengthen commitments and build a safer, more co-operative future, says OSCE Chair at opening of 31st Ministerial Council in Malta
Publishing date: 5 December 2024
VALLETTA, 5 December 2024 — “In times of war and multiple crises, the OSCE is needed more than ever as one of the last open channels of communication in Europe,” said OSCE Chair-in-Office, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism of Malta Ian Borg at the opening of the 31st OSCE Ministerial Council in Malta today. He reminded the assembled foreign ministers, state secretaries and high-level officials from the 57 OSCE participating States and 11 Partners for Co-operation that the pressing security challenges in the region can only be resolved through diplomacy and political will.