Thank you, Chair. Federal Councillor Cassis, on behalf of the UK, welcome back to the Permanent Council. The UK welcomes Switzerland’s leadership of this organisation at a crucial and challenging time.
The UK and Switzerland have a longstanding cooperation agenda and extensive shared interests. Here at the OSCE we firmly support your Chairpersonship priorities and focus on dialogue and trust as a way to rebuild security within our region.
First and foremost, we strongly support your focus on Ukraine, as it continues to suffer from – and defend itself against – Russia’s illegal invasion. We agree with you and the Secretary General on preparing the organisation to support a just and lasting peace.
Regrettably, we still see no sign that Russia is serious about peace. It continues to obstruct US-led negotiations and to terrorise the Ukrainian people. We will meet this afternoon to discuss the latest example – Russia’s reckless attack last week, including the use of an intermediate-range ballistic missile in Lviv.
As the UK Foreign Secretary told Parliament at the start of this month, the UK is confronting an industrial scale attack on our and allies’ and friends’ information environments – an attack which amounts to information warfare. We will continue to use this organisation to hold Russia to account for its increasingly malign and reckless activities across our continent targeting many of the participating States represented in this room.
We look forward to working with you as Chair of the Security Committee in 2026 and thank you for entrusting that role to us.
The UK welcomes your focus on and support for fundamental freedoms and civil society. Just as third basket issues were a critical part of the CSCE Geneva negotiations from 1973 to 1975, the OSCE’s comprehensive definition of security is an indispensable component of this organisation in 2026.
We stand firm in our conviction – repeatedly recognised by all participating States – that human rights, fundamental freedoms, democracy and rule of law are matters of direct and legitimate concern to all participating States and do not belong exclusively to the internal affairs of the State concerned. Holding each other to account for the implementation of shared commitments on fundamental freedoms and the rule of law is an essential part of dialogue, and in 2026 the UK will continue to defend and support the OSCE’s Human Dimension, including the vital work of the OSCE’s autonomous institutions.
And last but not least, we agree with your focus on ensuring the OSCE’s ability to act. For the UK this includes using the OSCE’s principles of cooperation to help tackle another growing issue irregular migration and the illicit finance that fuels it – both UK priorities in 2026. Strengthening border security should be a priority workstream for the OSCE this year.
Ensuring the OSCE’s ability to act also encompasses the need for internal reform, enhancing the effectiveness of the organisation and delivering budget efficiencies. The UK supports your call for early adoption of the 2026 Unified Budget and timely agreement on a Chair-in-Office for 2027. We agree on the importance of strategic prioritisation to focus on areas where the OSCE has comparative advantage – particularly in light of current global financial realities.
None of this work will be easy but it is imperative. It is the UK’s deep conviction that dialogue among OSCE participating States can and should manage risk, and can also support co-operation across our region. Rest assured of our support for Switzerland as Chair this year as you pursue that.