About: OSCE

Security body OSCE ends eight-year Ukraine mission after Russian veto
The world's largest security body said on Thursday (28 April) it was officially winding up its observer mission in Ukraine after eight years, after Russia vetoed its extension.
Russia says blast cripples Black Sea flagship, Ukraine claims missile strike
Russia said on Thursday (14 April) the flagship of its Black Sea fleet was seriously damaged and its crew evacuated following an explosion that a Ukrainian official said was the result of a missile strike.
Latvia accuses Russia of COVID ‘pretext’ to cancel arms control inspections
Latvia's defence ministry on Tuesday (25 January) accused Moscow of using the "pretext" of Covid to cancel a scheduled arms inspection in two regions in western Russia this week.
Russia says Ukraine talks hit ‘dead end’, Poland warns of risk of war
Poland's foreign minister said that Europe was at risk of plunging into war as Russia said it was not yet giving up on diplomacy but that military experts were preparing options in case tensions over Ukraine could not be defused.
More tense Ukraine talks loom at OSCE meet in Vienna
The permanent council of the world's largest security body will meet in Vienna on Thursday (13 January), hoping to push Russia, the United States and its European allies towards dialogue to defuse the mounting crisis on Ukraine's border.
US, Russia set firm lines ahead of Ukraine, security talks
The United States and Russia set out firm lines Sunday (9 January) ahead of talks on Ukraine, with Washington warning of the risk of confrontation and Moscow ruling out concessions.
‘Serious’ talk between Biden and Putin sets stage for diplomacy
US President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday (30 December) exchanged warnings over Ukraine but conveyed some optimism that diplomatic talks in January could ease spiraling tensions.
Geneva to host US-Russia talks in early January
The United States and Russia will hold much-anticipated talks in early January on European security and the Ukraine conflict after Moscow demanded NATO halt its eastward expansion.
Germany, France urge ‘all sides’ to respect eastern Ukraine ceasefire
Germany and France called on both the Ukrainian government forces and Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine to respect the restoration of a full ceasefire, their foreign ministries said in a joint statement on Thursday (23 December).
US, Russian foreign ministers to meet as Ukraine tensions soar
The chief diplomats of the US and Russia are to meet in Sweden on Thursday (2 December) as tensions soar after Washington expressed concern about Russia's military buildup near Ukraine and warned of "high-impact" sanctions.
Georgian opposition vows ‘biggest ever’ protests, decries vote fraud
Georgia's opposition parties on Sunday (31 October) announced plans for a mass anti-government protest rally next weekend, denouncing as fraudulent local election runoffs won by the ruling party.
OSCE mission in eastern Ukraine suspends operations amid protests
The Organization for Security and Cooperation on Europe has suspended its monitoring mission in eastern Ukraine following protests near its headquarters in separatist-controlled Donetsk, the chief monitor said on Sunday (17 October).
Georgia ruling party leads polls, opposition alleges fraud
Georgia's ruling party was leading on Sunday (3 October) in local elections the opposition criticised as fraudulent, deepening a long-running political crisis in the Caucasus country exacerbated by the arrest of ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili.
OSCE rights meeting stalled, western powers blame Russia
The OSCE acknowledged Tuesday (7 September) that it had been unable to organise an annual human rights conference, a day after Western countries accused Russia of blocking attempts to hold it.
EU’s Helga Schmid to help fill vacuum in Cold War security body OSCE
The international security body OSCE is expected to fill an unprecedented leadership vacuum, during meetings Thursday and Friday (3 and 4 December), after it failed to reappoint four of its top leaders in July.
Expert: Multi-party democracy has potential in Kazakhstan
The upcoming elections for the Majilis, the lower chamber of Kazakhstan's Parliament, are a clear improvement in terms of representation and legislative changes, Samuel Doveri Vesterbye told EURACTIV in an interview.
Georgia opposition defies crackdown, stages new protests
Fresh protests took place Monday (9 November) in Tbilisi as thousands of people hit the streets a day after police cracked down on demonstrations against Georgia's recent general elections.
Police in Tbilisi fire water cannons, tear gas at protesters
Police in Georgia fired water cannons and tear gas on thousands of demonstrators who have vowed permanent protests until a snap vote is called as the opposition accused the ruling party of rigging tightly contested parliamentary elections.
Election observer accuses Trump of ‘gross abuse of office’
The head of the OSCE observer mission to the US elections accused Donald Trump on Thursday (5 November) of a "gross abuse of office" after the president alleged he was being cheated and demanded that vote counting be halted.
OSCE observer mission says US election ‘tarnished’ by Trump allegations
The head of an international observer mission to the US elections on Wednesday (4 November) criticised President Trump's allegations of fraud in the election, and expressed concern over attempts by his campaign to stop vote counting, saying it "undermined public trust" in democracy.
Seventeen OSCE nations appoint team to probe Belarus election fraud, torture
Seventeen members of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) have appointed an independent team of experts to investigate alleged rights violations in Belarus' August presidential election.
Belarus engulfed in ninth night of protests as Lukashenko heckled
Demonstrators descended on the Belarusian capital on Monday (17 August) for a ninth night of protests against strongman leader Alexander Lukashenko, who was heckled by factory workers as pressure grows on him to step down.OpinionStakeholder Opinion

Dangerous trends in Armenia – Azerbaijan conflict
Although currently it seems that there is “relative calm” on the border, Armenia and Azerbaijan continue fighting verbally on the social media and, more dangerously, physically in foreign countries where they have settled, writes Vasif Huseynov.