News and press releases

WARSAW, 24 August 2022 – Six months since the start of the 24 February Russian war against Ukraine, OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Foreign Minister of Poland Zbigniew Rau today renewed his call on the Russian Federation to immediately put an end to the unprovoked violence and stop the tragic suffering and loss of life it continues to cause.

VIENNA, 22 August 2022- As we mark the International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief, the continued Russian aggression against Ukraine bring more death, new refugees, and the destruction of civilian sites, including houses of worship and religious shrines and memorials. Christians, Muslims, Jews, those of other religious beliefs, and those with no religious belief are among the victims. The religious leaders in Russia willingly or under coercion provide a rationale for this unprovoked war. Those who would speak out or even remain silent do so at their own peril.

KYIV, 3 August 2022- During their visit to Kyiv, the OSCE Chairman-in-Office and Poland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Zbigniew Rau, and OSCE Secretary General, Helga Maria Schmid have announced a new OSCE Secretariat Extra-Budgetary Support Programme for Ukraine.

19 July 2022- OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Foreign Minister of Poland, Zbigniew Rau, and OSCE Secretary General, Helga Maria Schmid, today reiterated their call for the unconditional and immediate release of three national Mission members of the OSCE’s Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), detained in Donetsk and Luhansk for more than three months.

VIENNA/WARSAW, 18 July 2022 – Protecting the human rights of trafficking victims must be placed at the heart of all responses to this global crime that particularly targets women and girls, who are even more at risk in situations of armed conflict, OSCE leaders said at the opening of a two-day conference today.

WARSAW/VIENNA, 16 July 2022- The OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Poland’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Zbigniew Rau, concluded his visit to South-Eastern Europe.

WARSAW/VIENNA, 30 June – OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Foreign Minister of Poland, Zbigniew Rau and OSCE Secretary General, Helga Maria Schmid, have announced that the OSCE has initiated steps to close the office of the Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine.