Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis to open OSCE security conference in Vienna
Bern, 15.06.2026 — OSCE Chairman-in-Office Ignazio Cassis will travel to Vienna on 17 June 2026 to open the Annual Security Review Conference (ASRC). The event is a key part of the OSCE's work to promote dialogue on regional security issues. On the same day, Mr Cassis will also attend the Annual Council Meeting of the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR).
The security situation in Europe continues to escalate, primarily due to Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine. The ASRC has taken on a particular significance in this context. The conference, which was established in 2002 by the OSCE Ministerial Council, brings together high-level representatives from the 57 OSCE participating states in Vienna every year. It provides a key platform for security-policy exchanges within the organisation and ensures there is open dialogue, even in times of geopolitical tension.
Mr Cassis will be in Vienna in his capacity as OSCE Chairman-in-Office to discuss the current challenges to peace and security in Europe. Key topics will include the commitment to a fair and lasting peace in Ukraine and how Europe can rethink and reshape its security beyond this war. There will be a particular emphasis on keeping dialogue channels open, reducing military risks and discussing new forms of conventional arms control, as well as on anticipating new technologies and their impact on our collective security.
During its year as chair of the OSCE, Switzerland is working to strengthen the organisation's capacity to act as an inclusive platform for dialogue on security issues in the European OSCE area. In the face of growing geopolitical tensions, the OSCE remains a vital framework for dialogue between its participating states.
Annual Council Meeting of the ECFR
Following the ASRC, Mr Cassis will attend the Annual Council Meeting of the ECFR. Together with the Austrian foreign minister, Beate Meinl-Reisinger, the Hungarian foreign minister, Anita Orbán, and the Spanish foreign minister, José Manuel Albares Bueno, Mr Cassis will discuss Europe's role in an increasingly fragmented and multipolar world order. The focus will be on the impact of geopolitical power shifts on Europe and on how cooperation can be effectively organised in this new context.
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