By waging a war of aggression against Ukraine, the Russian Federation has breached every Principle set out in the Helsinki Final Act 50 years ago - the document that laid the foundation for today's Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), its Chairperson-in-Office told the Security Council today.
Helsinki Principles mirror those of the Charter of the United Nations - sovereign equality, territorial integrity, inviolability of frontiers, refraining from the threat or use of force, and respect for human rights, said Elina Valtonen, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Finland, speaking as OSCE's representative.
"For five decades, the OSCE has been the guardian of these Principles, and held States accountable," she said, stressing that granting fundamental rights to their citizens is a duty for each participating State.
OSCE is the world's largest regional security organization, with 57 participating States from Europe, Central Asia and North America - including the United States and Canada.
Ms. Valtonen underscored that the Russian Federation's war of aggression against Ukraine is the largest and longest war in Europe since the Second World War. "In Ukraine, Russia is violating the UN Charter and each of the Helsinki Principles," she said, stressing that supporting Ukraine and promoting accountability for violations of international law have been central to her Chairpersonship.
She called on all States to support Ukraine in achieving a just and lasting peace "as soon as possible", adding that "the way this war ends will decisively shape the future of peace and stability not only in Europe, but across the world". She stressed that the conflict will also reveal the extent to which the transgressor - a permanent Security Council member - upholds the UN Charter and the tenth Helsinki Principle, which requires that obligations under international law be fulfilled in good faith.
"There is no need to re-invent the European security order," but, instead, there is a need to abide by the OSCE Principles and respect international law and the Charter of the UN, she said. However, she added that like the United Nations, OSCE must enhance its efficiency, flexibility and ability to deliver, noting that the new Helsinki+50 Fund will strengthen its operational capacity.
She also highlighted Finland's efforts to advance UN-OSCE cooperation under Chapter VIII of the UN Charter. The partnership between the two organizations, she said, is essential for peace and stability in the Euro-Atlantic region and beyond.
Moscow's War on Ukraine Has 'Shaken Europe's Security to Its Core'
"OSCE has always had a special place in our hearts, as it was the first international organization that Slovenia joined as an independent country," noted Tanja Fajon, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign and European Affairs of Slovenia, and Council President for December, as she spoke in her national capacity. OSCE embodies a "comprehensive approach to security" that acknowledges that peace is more than the absence of war. "True peace requires respect for human rights, democratic governance, media freedom, economic cooperation and environmental responsibility," she stressed.
The Russian Federation's war of aggression against Ukraine has "shaken the very foundation of European security", she deplored, welcoming OSCE's efforts to ensure accountability for gross violations of international law.
The representative of the Russian Federation said that OSCE's current Chairperson-in-Office has "systematically and consistently exacerbated the crisis in our organization, driving to absurdity the total Ukrainization of OSCE's agenda". And while "spheres of genuine cooperation have been reduced to very narrow secondary issues […] the elephant in the room - that is, the European security crisis provoked by NATO [North Atlantic Treaty Organization] countries - is something that the [Chairperson-in-Office] is trying not to notice", he said. Instead, the Chairperson-in-Office is "groundlessly, and despite the facts, pinning responsibility for the consequences of these steps on Russia", he said.
OSCE Must 'Cast Aside Stereotypes and Nefarious Practices'
Addressing the incoming Chairperson-in-Office, Switzerland, he pointed to the need to "cast aside stereotypes and nefarious practices, which are hanging over the organization right now like the sword of Damocles". He added: "OSCE must no longer be used as an instrument for promoting Western interests east of Vienna."
The representatives of France and Denmark underscored the importance of holding Moscow accountable for its actions, with the latter noting that OSCE's Moscow Mechanism has documented severe violations of human rights and international humanitarian law by Russian Federation forces in Ukraine. "This important work must continue," she said, adding: "History has taught us that documentation of war crimes matters for accountability. And accountability matters for building just and lasting peace."
The speaker for the United Kingdom highlighted that, when the war ends, OSCE has the tools and experience to help Ukraine recover and rebuild - from monitoring ceasefires to decommissioning weapons and supporting veterans' reintegration.
OSCE's Regional Engagements - from Central Asia to Kosovo - Spotlighted
Beyond Ukraine, Greece's delegate spotlighted OSCE field missions in Central Asia and its efforts towards the peaceful settlement of conflicts in Georgia and the Republic of Moldova, as well as its work in his country's "immediate neighbourhood" - the Western Balkans. He commended the "critical" role of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo to promote human rights and enhance inter-ethnic dialogue.
Institutional reform was another topic discussed. The representative of the United States stressed: "International organizations need to return to their core mandates, cut bloat and modernize." She added that OSCE reform - including fiscal discipline and right-sizing of institutions and missions - is necessary to ensure the organization can address key security issues, such as arms control, border security, and threats like terrorism and trafficking. Echoing this view, Panama's delegate said that advancing institutional modernization strengthens efficiency, ensures timely budgetary processes and enables reforms capable of responding more effectively to current challenges.
Rekindle Helsinki Spirit, Prioritize Cooperative Approaches
Several Council members, including Algeria, Somalia, Sierra Leone and Guyana, highlighted the importance of UN-OSCE cooperation. China's delegate also urged the UN and regional organizations - including the OSCE - to "further strengthen cooperation, demonstrate commitment and diligently fulfil their mandates to, together, bring more stability and certainty to an era that is in flux". OSCE's accumulated experience in dialogue, conflict prevention and confidence-building "offers meaningful insights for North-East Asia", said the speaker for the Republic of Korea.
The representative of Pakistan concluded: "It is precisely in these times that the international community must rekindle the spirit of Helsinki and demonstrate that comprehensive security is best preserved through cooperative instruments - not by the pursuit of hegemony and domination through military means."
