Foreign Minister Valtonen to attend OSCE Ministerial Council meeting

Finland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Elina Valtonen will attend the Ministerial Council of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) to be held in Malta on 5–6 December. Malta is currently holding the OSCE Chairpersonship. Finland will take on the Chairpersonship in 2025.

The extensive impacts of Russia’s war of aggression on the security situation in Europe and support for Ukraine are among the main themes of the meeting in Malta. The ministers will also discuss the role of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe in the international system.

“The principles and commitments of the OSCE are now more important than ever, even though Russia is blatantly violating them through its war of aggression against Ukraine. The OSCE Ministerial Council provides an opportunity to show support for Ukraine,” says Minister Valtonen.

Finland will participate in the meeting as the 2025 Chair of the OSCE.

“Finland’s forthcoming Chairpersonship will emphasise the principles and commitments of the OSCE. We want to strengthen the organisation’s operational capacity in order to support the European security order and the ability of people in our neighbouring areas to live in democratic states governed by the rule of law. A key theme of Finland’s Chairpersonship will be resilience,” Valtonen says.

The OSCE’s 57 participating States comprise all European and Central Asian countries and the United States and Canada.

The OSCE serves as a forum for political dialogue between the participating States and as a platform for their co-operation on politico-military, economic, environmental and human rights issues. The activities are based on the Final Act of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, signed in Helsinki in 1975, and other OSCE principles and commitments. ​

Foreign Minister Valtonen will also address the OSCE Civil Society Conference and have bilateral meetings.