Day: January 1, 2025

Finland assumed the chairmanship of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) on Wednesday, January 1. The country will focus on upholding OSCE principles and supporting Ukraine, according to a press release on the OSCE website.

“Today, we face an unprecedented need to defend this collectively agreed security order. As the Helsinki Final Act marks its 50th anniversary, Finland will consistently stress the principles outlined in this founding document of the OSCE,” Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen emphasized.

According to her, in times when Russia challenges the foundations of common security, all must stand up in their defense and “stand tall”.

The statement highlighted that Finland prioritizes ways to strengthen the resilience of OSCE participating states. Additionally, Finland will center its work on Ukraine, with support for Ukraine’s territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence remaining a key focus for the OSCE.

“The fund aims to improve the channeling and use of voluntary contributions for work aligned with the OSCE principles, while also fostering interaction between donors and beneficiaries. The fund will also strengthen civil society,” Valtonen noted.

OSCE Ministerial Council meeting

From December 4 to 5, the 31st annual OSCE Ministerial Council meeting took place in Malta. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also attended. It was his first visit to an EU country since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

At that meeting, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha did not listen to Lavrov’s speech, having left the OSCE plenary session before his Russian counterpart began speaking. Several foreign ministers and diplomats followed Kuleba’s example and also left the hall.