News and press releases
News and press releases from the OSCE's global activities.
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
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
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.
OSCE mourns death of National Mission Member of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine
Publishing date: 2 March 2022
VIENNA/WARSAW – Maryna Fenina, a national member of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), died in shelling in Kharkiv yesterday, 1 March.
The Reinforced Meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council at the Ministerial Level
Publishing date: 24 February 2022
VIENNA, 24 FEBRUARY 2022 – To address Russia’s military operation in Ukraine, the Polish OSCE Chairmanship convened a reinforced meeting of the Permanent Council at the ministerial level.
Statement of the Secretary General on the temporary evacuation of OSCE staff from Ukraine
Publishing date: 24 February 2022
Due to the ongoing fighting and deteriorated security situation in Ukraine, in coordination with the Chairman-in-Office, I have decided to temporarily evacuate all international mission members from Ukraine as soon as possible. The commitment and bravery of the OSCE staff is commendable. The OSCE
Joint statement by OSCE Chairman-in-Office Rau and Secretary General Schmid on Russia’s launch of a military operation in Ukraine
Publishing date: 24 February 2022
WARSAW/VIENNA, 24 February 2022 – The OSCE Chairman-in-Office and Foreign Minister of Poland, Zbigniew Rau and OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid condemned the launch by President Putin of a military operation in Ukraine and made the following statement:
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
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.