Newsroom
News and press releases
News and press releases from the OSCE's global activities.
OSCE Chairman-in-Office and Secretary General announce upcoming closure of Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine
Publishing date: 28 April 2022
Content type: Press release
Where we are: OSCE Chairmanship, OSCE Secretary General, OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (closed)
What we do: Conflict prevention and resolution
WARSAW/VIENNA, 28 April 2022 –OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Foreign Minister of Poland Zbigniew Rau and OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid have today announced that the OSCE would take immediate steps to implement the closure of the Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine.
OSCE Chairman-in-Office and Secretary General call for immediate release of detained OSCE officials in areas of Donetsk and Luhansk
Publishing date: 24 April 2022
Content type: Press release
Where we are: OSCE Chairmanship, OSCE Secretary General
What we do: Conflict prevention and resolution
WARSAW/VIENNA, 24 April 2022- OSCE Chairman-in-Office and Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Zbigniew Rau, and OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid call for the release of four national members of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine detained in non-government-controlled areas of Donetsk and Luhansk.
Chairman-in-Office and Secretary General expressed regret that no consensus reached on extension of mandate of Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine
Publishing date: 31 March 2022
Content type: Press release
Where we are: OSCE Chairmanship, OSCE Secretary General, OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (closed)
What we do: Conflict prevention and resolution
WARSAW/VIENNA, 31 March 2022- OSCE Chairman-in-Office and Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau and Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid expressed their sincere regret that no consensus was reached on the extension of the mandate of OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine, the Organization’s largest field presence and a key component of its response to the crisis in and around Ukraine.
OSCE Chairman-in-Office and Secretary General condemn bombing of Mariupol and ongoing violence against civilians throughout Ukraine
Publishing date: 18 March 2022
Content type: Press release
Where we are: OSCE Chairmanship, OSCE Secretary General
What we do: Conflict prevention and resolution
WARSAW/VIENNA, 18 March 2022 – OSCE Chairman-in-Office and Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau and Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid strenuously condemned the ongoing violence by the Russian Armed Forces against civilian areas throughout Ukraine, including the recent bombing of a theatre harboring hundreds of civilians in Mariupol.
Special OSCE Permanent Council meeting held following Russian decision to recognize parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine as independent
Publishing date: 23 February 2022
Content type: Press release
Where we are: OSCE Chairmanship, OSCE Secretary General
What we do: Conflict prevention and resolution
VIENNA, 23 FEBRUARY 2022 – Following the decision by Russian President Vladimir Putin to recognize parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine as independent, the 2022 Polish Chairmanship-in-Office convened the OSCE Permanent Council yesterday to meet in a reinforced format to address the current situation.
Joint statement by OSCE Chairman-in-Office Rau, Secretary General Schmid, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Cederfelt and Secretary General Montella on Russia’s recognition of certain areas of Ukraine’s Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts as independent
Publishing date: 21 February 2022
Content type: Press statement
Where we are: OSCE Chairmanship, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, OSCE Secretariat
What we do: Conflict prevention and resolution
WARSAW/VIENNA, 21 February 2022 – The OSCE Chairman-in-Office and Foreign Minister of Poland, Zbigniew Rau, OSCE Secretary General Schmid, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Margareta Cederfelt (MP, Sweden) and OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Secretary General Roberto Montella strongly condemned the decision by Russia to recognize certain areas of Ukraine’s Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts as independent and made the following statement:
Conflict prevention at the core of the OSCE’s work, but must be further strengthened to face another decade, say participants at Ministerial Council side event
Publishing date: 3 December 2021
The OSCE has played a vital role in preventing conflict and responding to crises over the last decade, but further steps must be taken to strengthen and make better use of the OSCE’s unique toolbox in relation to early warning, early action, dialogue facilitation, mediation support and post-conflict rehabilitation.