Statement at the 32nd OSCE Ministerial Council

Statement of the Republic of Latvia

at the 32^th OSCE Ministerial Council Meeting

Vienna, 4-5 December 2025

Madam Chairperson,

Latvia aligns with the statement delivered by the EU High Representative Kaja Kallas. I wish to add the following remarks in our national capacity.

Latvia expresses its sincere appreciation to Finland for steering the OSCE throughout 2025 and for placing a clear focus on three essential priorities: upholding the OSCE principles, supporting Ukraine, and strengthening the Organization’s resilience in the face of increasingly complex security challenges.

The OSCE was established to prevent and resolve conflicts, and to manage crises in Europe and beyond.

Helsinki principles are non-negotiable. They are the cornerstone of this Organization and of the security order in Europe. Confidence in the OSCE is based on implementation of all commitments by all, in good faith.

Today, Russia and Belarus, as co-aggressor, have blatantly disregarded them. Russia’s unprovoked, unlawful and unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine directly undermines the core of the OSCE. Russia’s continued escalation of attacks on civilian infrastructure and population undermines peace efforts.  

Likewise, Russia’s hybrid campaign against NATO, EU or OSCE members, continues to escalate in scale and intensity.   A potential loss of civilian lives due to its actions becomes a troubling possibility.

At this point, the only way to reinforce the OSCE’s principles and ensure their credibility is by achieving a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine and by holding Russia accountable for its war crimes and aggression against Ukraine. Also today, in this very room, Russia’s attempts to distort facts and divert attention with “whataboutism”, will not help it avoid accountability.

We stand in full support of Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders. The security of Ukraine is inseparable from the security of Europe.

Madam Chairperson,

We are united in our determination to uphold the international rules-based order.

OSCE must react when principles are breached, its institutions must speak clearly and consistently. Russia’s persistent non-compliance with OSCE obligations compromises the very foundations of European security. We must fully employ the OSCE toolbox - including arms control instruments and human dimension mechanisms such as the Vienna and Moscow Mechanisms, to ensure accountability.

Latvia is deeply concerned by the growing repression of civil society, including the misuse of “foreign agent laws” and excessive use of force against peaceful protesters. States must uphold their obligations to protect freedom of expression, assembly, and association.

Madam Chairperson,

One of the OSCE’s comparative advantages is that it provides space for exchange of views among non-likeminded. However, dialogue is not an end in itself. It must be firmly anchored in our commitments, in their implementation and in systematic follow-up on recommendations of OSCE institutions and mechanisms. Strengthening and institutionalizing civil society engagement across all three dimensions is vital.

The adoption of the budget and timely approval of the Chair of the OSCE are essential elements to safeguard the organization’s relevance, effectiveness, and leadership.

Looking ahead, the OSCE will need to function even in the absence of trust for many years to come. Managing distrust among participating States and ensuring constructive exchanges may also require new approaches. We thank the Finnish Chair for launching the Helsinki+50 process, which provided important opportunity for reflection.

We support Switzerland as the incoming Chair-in-Office in maintaining a principled position regarding the most significant security challenge to the Euro-Atlantic security since World War II. By upholding the core principles and values while exploring innovative approaches, the OSCE can continue to serve the people of our region, and remain relevant in addressing the security challenges of our time.

Thank you.