Vienna — 4 December 2025 — Opening the 32nd OSCE Ministerial Council, Finland’s Foreign Minister and OSCE Chairperson‑in‑Office Elina Valtonen urged participating states to turn renewed commitments to the Helsinki Principles into “bold, concrete action” amid one of the most challenging security environments in decades [OSCE — https://www.osce.org/].
Addressing foreign ministers, state secretaries and senior officials from the 57 OSCE participating States and 11 Partners for Co‑operation, Valtonen said Finland’s Chairpersonship had been guided by three priorities: upholding OSCE core principles, responding to urgent challenges, and preparing the organisation for the future [Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland — https://um.fi/frontpage].
She highlighted that respect for the Helsinki Principles — the foundation of the OSCE since 1975 — remains essential to the organisation’s legitimacy. As part of its Chairpersonship, Finland launched the Helsinki+50 Fund, created to strengthen the OSCE’s operational capacity ahead of the 50th anniversary of the Helsinki Final Act. The fund has already secured over €17 million in pledges from 17 countries [OSCE — https://www.osce.org/].
Valtonen stressed that the broader context remains “exceptionally difficult,” pointing to Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine. “In Ukraine, Russia is violating each of the Helsinki principles,” she said, calling for unified support for a “just and lasting peace” and warning that the war’s outcome will shape the future of security across the OSCE region [OSCE — https://www.osce.org/].
She noted that the Helsinki+50 Discussions, launched under Finland’s leadership, have already produced concrete proposals for modernising the OSCE. She urged states to defend the rules‑based order “not only in words, but through actions,” and to ensure the organisation remains capable and credible in the years ahead [Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland — https://um.fi/frontpage].
OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Pere Joan Pons Sampietro echoed the call for principled engagement, emphasising that “accountability must be universal, without double standards,” and describing the OSCE as a bridge that must remain firm when red lines are crossed and open when opportunities arise [OSCE Parliamentary Assembly — https://www.oscepa.org/].
The Ministerial Council continues through 5 December, after which Finland will formally hand the OSCE Chairpersonship to Switzerland, which will lead the organisation in 2026 [OSCE — https://www.osce.org/].
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