President Pere Joan Pons (Spain) with Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Ruslan Stefanchuk, and President of the Austrian National Council Walter Rosenkranz, Winter Meeting, Vienna, 19 February 2026VIENNA, 19 February 2026 – Ukraine was in focus at today’s opening of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s 25th Winter Meeting in Vienna, Austria, with addresses by President of the Austrian National Council Walter Rosenkranz, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Ruslan Stefanchuk, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Pere Joan Pons, and OSCE Secretary General Feridun Sinirlioğlu.

Hundreds of parliamentarians from across the OSCE region have gathered in the Austrian capital for a two-day meeting to discuss key issues in security, human rights, democracy, and economic-environmental challenges.

Meeting just three days before the four-year anniversary of the Russian Federation’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, speakers lamented its impacts on the Ukrainian people and the principles upon which the United Nations and the OSCE are founded, stressing that it is time to stop the bloodshed and commit to building a peaceful and prosperous future for Ukraine.

Speakers urged an immediate end to the violence and the withdrawal of Russian forces. Calls were also reiterated for the release of the three unlawfully detained OSCE staff members – Vadym Golda, Maxym Petrov and Dmytro Shabanov.

Chairman Stefanchuk highlighted the immense suffering of the Ukrainian people and stressed the need for accountability.

“Russia must be held accountable” Stefanchuk said. “Accountable for everything. For violating international law and order. For the crime of aggression against Ukraine. For all the crimes it has committed and, above all, crimes against humanity. For our destroyed cities and villages. For the mutilated lives and destinies of Ukrainians. For all the suffering it has caused. For all material and non-material damage.”

President Pere Joan Pons addressing the Opening Session of the Winter Meeting, Vienna, 19 February 2026OSCE PA President Pons noted that President Zelensky and the Ukrainian people are defending not only their sovereignty but defending European principles and values, stressing that sovereignty and territorial integrity are non-negotiable. “It is not only a military test,” President Pons said. “It is also an existential test of whether law or force will shape our future. If aggression succeeds in Ukraine, it will not stop there. It will be repeated. If authoritarianism prevails, democracy everywhere becomes more fragile.”

OSCE Secretary General Feridun Sinirlioğlu said: “This war should end with a just and lasting peace, as the Chair and I expressed throughout our visits to Kyiv and Moscow. The OSCE stands ready to play a useful role in the post-conflict stabilization and rehabilitation, including the monitoring of the implementation of the terms of a negotiated settlement that may emerge between the sides to end the war. I welcome the continued engagement between the sides just this week in Geneva under the US mediation to bring this horrible and dangerous war to an end.”

President Rosenkranz highlighted that the OSCE forms an integral part of the security architecture in Europe and beyond. “Its role in resolving protracted conflicts in the OSCE region is undisputed,” he said. Moreover, he referred to the central role of young people in fostering security and the initiatives of the Austrian Parliament to strengthen democratic education, stating that “we must work continuously to maintain our democracies and pass on these values to future generations.”

In the question and answer session, OSCE parliamentarians raised points about the importance of gender representation in conflict resolution efforts and highlighted the important work of the OSCE field presences.
The Winter Meeting continues this afternoon with meetings of the three general committees.

Marc Veasey (United States), Chair of the First Committee and Tobias Winkler (Germany), Rapporteur of the First Committee, Winter Meeting, Vienna, 19 February 2026The Committee on Political Affairs and Security has heard presentations from the Chairperson of the Forum for Security Co-operation and the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities. It also received a report preview from its Rapporteur ahead of the July Annual Session, followed by a debate on “The Fight for Helsinki Principles in Ukraine and Beyond: Grounding Regional Peace in Comprehensive Security.”

The Committee on Economic Affairs, Science, Technology and Environment is debating “Geoeconomics, Technology, and Security: Navigating a Changing Landscape,” with presentations from its Rapporteur, the Director of the EU Institute for Security Studies, the Director of an Austrian security policy institute, the OSCE Co-ordinator for Economic and Environmental Activities, and a fellow at an American think tank.

The Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions is holding afternoon presentations from its Rapporteur, the Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, and the Chairperson of the Human Dimension Committee of the OSCE Permanent Council. It is debating election integrity amid hybrid threats and foreign malign influence.

The Winter Meeting is live-streaming here.

Photos are available for public use at the OSCE PA’s Flickr page.