The Secretary-General met virtually today with H.E. Ms. Ann Linde, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sweden, in her capacity as Chairperson-in-Office (CiO) of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). The Secretary-General commended Ms. Linde for prioritizing the Women Peace and Security agenda as the Chairperson-in-Office.  

The Secretary-General and Ms. Linde discussed the UN-OSCE partnership, including with regards to key regional peace and security issues, where the Secretary-General expressed his commitment to strengthening the UN-OSCE cooperation. 

Regarding the situation in and around Eastern Ukraine, the Secretary-General underlined the importance that all relevant actors demonstrate restraint and avoid any actions and rhetoric that would raise tensions. The Secretary-General reiterated the UN’s support for the efforts of the Normandy Format and the OSCE-supported Trilateral Contact Group, as well as the important work of the OSCE’s Special Monitoring Mission in Ukraine.