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OSCE

The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) is the world's largest security-oriented intergovernmental organization. Its dieals with arms control, press freedom and fair elections.

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All Content on this topic

Ukraine Russland Krise OSCE Beobachter

OSCE monitors warn of East Ukraine flare-up

Donbass separatists and Ukrainian government no closer to true ceasefire despite a February 20 recommitment.
PoliticsFebruary 28, 2017
Ukraine Zerstörung in Avdiivka | OSCE

US slams Russia over Ukraine violence

An upsurge in fighting has resulted in increased casualties among Ukrainian soldiers, and restrictions on OSCE monitors.
ConflictsFebruary 26, 2017
Albanien | Proteste in Tirana

Albania opposition protests for free elections

Albania's opposition has led an anti-government protest of tens of thousands in the capital, calling for free elections.
PoliticsFebruary 19, 2017
external

Turkmenistan's incumbent wins re-election

President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov the elections. OSCE says elections have never been free or fair in Turkmenistan.
PoliticsFebruary 13, 201700:55 min
A rebel stands in front of a destroyed building in eastern Ukraine

OSCE: Ukraine witnessed 'most violent' week

The violence peaked with more than 10,000 ceasefire violations a day, NATO officials said, citing monitors.
ConflictsFebruary 10, 2017
Ukraine Konflikt in der Ostukraine

Deadly violence erupts in eastern Ukraine

Ukrainian soldiers, rebels and civilians have been killed in the latest outbreak of violence to rock the region.
ConflictsJanuary 31, 2017
Symbolbild OSZE

OSCE targeted by cyber attackers

A western intelligence source has told French newspaper Le Monde that Russian hackers APT28 were behind the breach.
CrimeDecember 28, 2016
Seperatisten in Donezk

Christmas ceasefire agreement for Ukraine

Frank-Walter Steinmeier said a ceasefire should be respected "for the sake of the civilian population."
ConflictsDecember 23, 2016
Ukraine Russland Krise OSCE Beobachter

Ukraine conflict on the brink

DW sat down with Alexander Hug, Deputy Chief of the OSCE's monitoring mission to Ukraine, to discuss the situation.
ConflictsDecember 12, 2016
Deutschland OSZE Ministerrat

Steinmeier ends OSCE meeting of 'differences'

Germany's top diplomat, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, said the meeting was tense but nevertheless productive.
PoliticsDecember 9, 2016
Deutschland Sitzung OSZE-Ministerrat in Hamburg - Gruppenbild

Russia-West tensions give OSCE new life

The OSCE is deeply divided between Russia and the West, making its dialogue platform key to maintaining security.
ConflictsDecember 9, 2016
OSZE Dunja Mijatovic Medienbeauftragte

Media situation in Turkey 'terrifying'

Turkish journalists feel abandoned by the EU and international community, the OSCE's media representative told DW.
MediaDecember 8, 2016
More than 10,000 police officers have been deployed for the OSCE meeting in Hamburg

Syria, Ukraine to dominate OSCE meeting

As Germany ends its year-long presidency of the OSCE, its foreign minister has called for Russia to cooperate.
PoliticsDecember 8, 2016
Deutschland Brandanschlag auf Hamburger Messehallen

Leftist group claims vandalism of OSCE venue

The group lit several fires at one of the entrances of the venue that will host the upcoming OSCE and G20 summits.
CrimeNovember 27, 2016
Deutschland Hamburg Summit: China meets Europe

Germany, OSCE partners push for new arms control deal

German Foreign Minister Steinmeier and 13 of his colleagues have called for a relaunch of European arms control.
PoliticsNovember 25, 2016
USA Hillary Clinton Wahlkampf Michigan

OSCE election monitors looking at southern US states

The head of the OSCE’s US election observers tells DW the organisation is looking at voter registration in the south.
PoliticsNovember 7, 2016
Angela Merkel und Wladimir Putin in Berlin

Putin backs armed OSCE in Ukraine

The mission is a key feature of the peace roadmap leaders of the so-called Normandy format discussed on Wednesday.
ConflictsOctober 20, 2016
Merkel and Putin

Putin to visit Berlin

German Chancellor Merkel is due to meet the leaders of Russia, Ukraine and France in Berlin on Wednesday.
ConflictsOctober 18, 2016
Polen Warschau Demonstration Demokratie

More protest against Polish ruling party

Poles opposed to the government's arch conservative policies have marched again in Warsaw.
PoliticsSeptember 25, 2016
Protesters outside of the Russian embassy in Kiev are blocked by Ukrainian troops.

Troop pullback agreed to in eastern Ukraine

The latest troop withdrawal is less elaborate than last year's cease fire, which broke down before it began.
September 21, 2016
Frank-Walter Steinmeier gives a speech on human rights at the OSCE conference in Walsaw

Steinmeier: 'Human rights are the basis for stability'

The German foreign minister has stressed that Europe would not accept rights violations and torture within its borders.
September 19, 2016
Anti government protesters in Minsk carry a banner through the streets of the capital.

OSCE: Belarus elections better, but still flawed

The OSCE has said having two dissident candidates in parliament doesn't change the overall shortcomings of the election.
September 12, 2016
Symbolbild Roma in Europa

Prejudice against Sinti, Roma common in Europe

The OSCE says prejudice and discrimination against Sinti and Roma are widespread in today's Europe.
September 8, 2016
Citizens vote on Election Day at Fire Station #71 in Alhambra, Los Angeles County in 2012

More international observers for US election

The OSCE will sharply increase the number of international observers to monitor the US elections.
September 6, 2016
Pavlo Klimkin Ukraine

Minsk agreement is the way to peace

Ukraine's foreign minister discusses the path to peace in his country.
September 1, 2016
Rebels inspect a shelled building

Ending conflict in eastern Ukraine

DW spoke with the OSCE's monitoring mission to discover why the conflict has taken another violent turn.
August 6, 2016
Ukrainian soldier in Donetsk

OSCE calls for probe of Ukraine truce violations

The OSCE has called on both sides in the confict in eastern Ukraine to do more to investigate ceasefire violations.
June 22, 2016
Demonstration against armed OSCE mission

'No to an armed OSCE mission'

Russia has agreed to allowing armed OSCE monitors at specific sites in conflict-hit eastern Ukraine.
June 10, 2016
Transnistrien Hammer und Sichel Tiraspol

Transnistria: A stumbling block or Moldova's big chance?

A new round talks aimed to resolve the crisis in Transnistria have not brought the warring parties closer together.
PoliticsJune 3, 2016
Frank-Walter Steinmeier at OSCE conference in Berlin

Rooting out terrorism

A comprehensive approach to fighting terrorism is the focus of a two-day OSCE conference.
May 31, 2016
Lamberto Zannier bei Conflict Zone

Is the OSCE still relevant?

Lamberto Zannier, OSCE Secretary General, discusses Cold War dynamics and Europe's troubling political landscape.
May 4, 2016
A government soldier mans a checkpoint in Donetsk. A peace sticker is visible on his back

Ukraine fighting to cease for Orthodox Easter

Ukraine's government has agreed a new truce with pro-Russian troops, set to take effect on Orthodox Easter weekend.
April 29, 2016
Ukraine Leben in Luhansk Grenze Stanica Luhansk

Steinmeier 'concerned' over Ukraine ceasefire

Steinmeier has told the UN that both Russia and Ukraine need to live up to their commitments.
March 1, 2016
An OSCE observer in Ukraine in November 2015

Inside Europe: Is the Minsk agreement in tatters?

Kerry Skyring reports from Vienna about the Minsk agreement between Ukraine and Russia and asks, has it failed?
PoliticsFebruary 18, 201605:05 min
Steinemeier seeks to strengthen the OSCE by using Germany's political power

Germany seeks to strengthen OSCE

Germnay's foreign minister has called for renewing dialogue and rebuilding trust among OSCE members, including Russia.
January 14, 2016
Ukraine osce observer

Germany takes over OSCE presidency

The conflict in Ukraine is likely to dominate the German OSCE presidency.
January 1, 2016
Serbien OSZE in Belgrad Gruppenfoto

OSCE: Germany takes the helm

Terror, Turkish-Russian tensions, the refugee crisis and Ukraine - fragile security dominates OSCE talks in Belgrade.
December 4, 2015
Symbolbild Scharfschütze

Playing with fire

The truce in eastern Ukraine is on shaky ground.
November 19, 2015
A detainee at Guantanamo Camp 4 stands behind a fence

Fully redacted

The US has refused to allow human rights investigators access to inmates at the Guantanamo Bay prison camp.
November 11, 2015
Symbolbild Guantanamo

Guantanamo report

Closing Guantanamo alone is not enough, a contributor to the new OSCE report tells DW.
November 10, 2015
Ukraine Soldaten an der Front bei Donezk

Ukraine: First phase of arms withdrawal complete

Ukraine's military says it's withdrawn artillery from the eastern front in accordance with a ceasefire agreement.
November 8, 2015
Türkei Wahl

Observers cite Turkey election flaws

The OSCE mission in Turkey has said the election campaign was marked by violence and a media crackdown.
November 2, 2015
Azerbaijan President Iham Aliyev

Flawed election in Azerbaijan

The OSCE had refused to monitor Azerbaijan's elections which will cement the rule of President Ilham Aliyev.
November 1, 2015
Ukraine elections

Ukraine elections comply with democratic standards

Observers have said the elections in government-held areas were democratic, but could use improvement.
October 26, 2015
Kirgistan Wahlen

Kyrgyzstan voters head to polls

The election is unlikely to alter the country's pro-Moscow tilt, as ethnic strife and the threat of violence loom.
October 4, 2015
An Armenian soldier on border of Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan.

Azeri-Armenia flare up kills three

Three Armenian civilians have been killed after Azeri forces fired artillery near border villages.
September 25, 2015
Berlin Treffen Außenminister zur Lage in der Ostukraine

Foreign ministers meet over Ukraine crisis

Foreign ministers of Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany met in Berlin to discuss Ukraine. OSCE says ceasefire holding.
September 13, 2015
Ukraine Kämpfe in Donezk

OSCE faces uncooperative forces in Ukraine

The deputy head of the OSCE's mission in Ukraine has said his observers are being hindered in their work.
August 19, 2015
Ukraine Brand von Autos der OSZE

Arson destroys monitors' vehicles in Donetsk

A firebombing attack has gutted armored vehicles in separatist-controlled Ukraine. Separatists have denied the attack.
August 9, 2015
OSCE

OSCE turns 40 with work ahead

Forty years on, the OSCE remains focused on preventing conflict and protecting human rights.
August 1, 2015