Switzerland's Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis announced plans to visit both Kyiv and Moscow in his capacity as OSCE Chair, according to a statement on the Swiss government website
"For the OSCE, which I have the honor of chairing this year, we have clearly defined priorities: 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 stated.
Switzerland assumed the rotating OSCE chairmanship on 1 January, marking the country's third time leading the organization after previous tenures in 1996 and 2014. The position automatically goes to the foreign minister of the chairing country.
In September, Cassis outlined Switzerland's priorities for the 2026 chairmanship, emphasizing peace, dialogue, innovation, and respect for fundamental rights.
"In conditions of war in Europe, Switzerland is committed to a just peace in Ukraine based on international law and the Helsinki Principles. We will use our mediation experience to facilitate dialogue, trust, and security," the Swiss minister said.
Cassis pledged Switzerland would promote cooperation in cybersecurity, military-political instruments, and conflict prevention. He stressed the importance of strengthening inclusive multilateral diplomacy, forecasting technologies for a safe and humane future, advancing democracy, the rule of law and human rights, and reinforcing the OSCE's capacity to act.
"We approach our chairmanship with the conviction that, despite tensions, the OSCE remains indispensable. Switzerland will address this task while preserving core instruments – missions, election observation – and ensuring their financing," Cassis emphasized.
