News and press releases
News and press releases from the OSCE's global activities.
Ukraine faces critical moment, says OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Dačić
Publishing date: 19 February 2015
VIENNA, 19 February 2015- OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Serbia’s Foreign Minister Ivica Dačić today met his Special Representative in Ukraine Ambassador Heidi Tagliavini, OSCE Chief Monitor in Ukraine Ambassador Ertugrul Apakan and OSCE Chief Observer at the Russian Checkpoints Gukovo and Donetsk Paul Picard, who informed the Chair about their activities and the challenges they face in their work...
Spot report by the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM): Ceasefire monitoring, based on information received as of 18:00 hrs, 19 February 2015
Publishing date: 19 February 2015
The SMM continued monitoring the ceasefire, which entered into force at 00:00hrs on 15 February. In the Luhansk region, the SMM observed a limited number of ceasefire violations. In Donetsk city the SMM heard intense outgoing shelling throughout the reporting period...
Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine based on information received as of 18:00 (Kyiv time), 18 February
Publishing date: 19 February 2015
The SMM continued monitoring the implementation of the “Package of measures for the Implementation of the Minsk agreements”. The SMM, based on its monitoring – which was restricted by third parties and by security considerations – noted that fighting continued in and around Debaltseve, and, to a lesser extent, in a number of other locations. Elsewhere – where the SMM monitored – the SMM noted no violence...
Weekly update from OSCE Observer Mission at Russian Checkpoints Gukovo and Donetsk based on information as of 10:00 (Moscow time), 18 February 2015
Publishing date: 19 February 2015
Kamensk-Shakhtinsky, Russian Federation. The Observer Mission (OM) continues to operate 24/7 at both BCPs. Overall, compared with last week, cross-border traffic flows slightly decreased at both Border Crossing Points (BCPs). The OM continued to observe a number of persons in military-style clothing crossing the border in both directions.
OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Parliamentary Assembly President open PA Winter Meeting
Publishing date: 19 February 2015
VIENNA, 19 February 2015 – OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic joined OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Ilkka Kanerva (MP, Finland) for the opening plenary of the PA’s Winter Meeting today, with both stressing that the internationally brokered plan to end the conflict in eastern Ukraine must not be derailed...
At OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Winter Meeting, ODIHR Director stresses importance of joint observation efforts for local elections in Ukraine’s east
Publishing date: 19 February 2015
VIENNA, 19 February 2015 –Michael Georg Link, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), in an address today to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) annual Winter Meeting, stressed the importance of an effective, co-operative effort in observing local elections agreed for the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in Ukraine...
Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine based on information received as of 18:00 (Kyiv time), 17 February
Publishing date: 18 February 2015
The SMM continued monitoring the implementation of the “Package of measures for the Implementation of the Minsk agreements”. The SMM, based on its monitoring – which was restricted due to security considerations – noted that there had been heavy fighting in and around the Debaltseve-Horlivka area. However in many other places, the ceasefire largely held...