Finland Takes Over OSCE Chairmanship, Prioritizing Ukraine’s Sovereignty and Territorial Integrity

On January 1, Finland officially took over the chairmanship of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), according to a statement on the organization’s website.

As the presiding country, Finland reiterated its commitment to the OSCE’s principles of promoting democratic societies governed by the rule of law, ensuring people’s ability to live freely.

“Today, we face an unprecedented need to defend this collectively agreed security order,” said Finland’s Foreign Minister and new OSCE Chair, Elina Valtonen.

“As the Helsinki Final Act marks its 50th anniversary, Finland will consistently stress the principles outlined in this founding document of the OSCE. When Russia challenges the foundations of our shared security, the rest of us must stand up for them, and stand tall,” Valtonen added.

Finland underscored the importance of strengthening resilience across OSCE member states and reaffirmed its focus on Ukraine, which will remain at the heart of the organization’s agenda. Supporting Ukraine’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence will continue to be a central tenet of the OSCE’s activities.

Valtonen also highlighted the need to enhance the OSCE’s operational capabilities and proposed the creation of a special fund, Helsinki+50, in collaboration with interested member states and the OSCE Secretariat.

“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.

Finland pledged to ensure the OSCE remains a functional and effective organization, emphasizing that member states share collective responsibility in this endeavor.

Earlier, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov claimed that Finns have reverted to the mindset of the early years of World War II “when they were close allies of Hitler”, adding that their neutrality vanished in an instant.