New OSCE chair eyes visits to Kyiv and Moscow
Photo: Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis (flickr.com)
The current chairperson of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis, plans to visit Kyiv and Moscow, according to the Swiss Foreign Ministry.
Cassis, whose country holds the OSCE chairmanship in 2026, said he intends to pay official visits to both Kyiv and Moscow, stressing that the move aligns with the organization's priorities for the year.
"The OSCE must again focus on its core tasks – protecting peace and security in Europe. It is precisely to achieve this goal that we all need to sit down at the negotiating table. Regardless of the circumstances, everything depends on this. That is why I will soon visit Kyiv and Moscow," Cassis said.
What is OSCE?
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe is an international body bringing together 57 countries from Europe, North America, and Asia. It focuses on security, human rights, democratic governance, and conflict prevention.
The OSCE's main objective is to promote stability and peaceful coexistence among participating states. However, the organization is currently facing serious challenges due to Russia's actions in Ukraine.
Earlier, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Ukraine is preparing a comprehensive OSCE reform plan, which could pull the organization out of its current deadlock through five concrete steps.
At the same time, the OSCE is considering deploying a ceasefire-monitoring mission in Ukraine. Such a mission, however, would only be launched once appropriate security conditions are in place.
