PHOTO // High-level “2+2” meeting between Council of Europe and OSCE held in Chișinău

The high-level meeting of the leaders of the Council of Europe (CoE) and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), in the 2+2 format, took place on Thursday at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The discussions focused on ways to intensify multilateral cooperation through joint efforts and actions between the OSCE and the Council of Europe in order to address international challenges.

The meeting was co-chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Mihai Popșoi, in his capacity as Chair of the Committee of Ministers of the CoE, the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland, Ignazio Cassis, together with the Secretary General of the CoE, Alain Berset, as well as the Secretary General of the OSCE, Feridun Sinirlioğlu.

In the context of the current geopolitical situation, the importance of supporting and strengthening cooperation between the two organizations for maintaining peace and security on the European continent was underlined.

Deputy Prime Minister Mihai Popșoi spoke about the relations between the Council of Europe and the OSCE, which are based on the same common values, as well as on the commitment of the organizations to mutually reinforce each other's actions.


“In the face of new global challenges and ever-deeper changes at the international level, cooperation is essential for protecting security and democratic values. At the same time, multilateral treaties and institutions must be strengthened. Most importantly, our founding principles of peace, sovereignty, territorial integrity, respect for human rights, and international solidarity remain unchanged,” said Mihai Popșoi.


A distinct topic was the Russian Federation’s war of aggression against Ukraine and its impact on European security. Support was reaffirmed for a just and lasting peace based on international law, with full respect for territorial integrity. The parties also agreed to continue supporting Ukraine, including with regard to the country’s reconstruction after the end of the war.

Officials also discussed electoral processes, including the expertise and mandate of the Council of Europe and the OSCE in supporting credible, fair, and transparent elections. In addition, they addressed the growing threat of information manipulation and foreign interference (FIMI), as well as their impact on public trust in democratic processes and on social cohesion.