STVR | Helsinki+50: A Return to the Principles of Peace
Fifty years after the signing of a landmark document on peace and respect for human rights, European leaders returned to the place where the history of European security was shaped — to reflect on whether the principles of 1975 can survive a time of war. The anniversary in Helsinki was commented on for Slovak Television by Martin Vokálek, Executive Director of the EUROPEUM Institute.
31. July 2025
The issue of Ukraine evokes strong emotions — on the occasion of the OSCE anniversary, representatives of European states met alongside delegates from the Russian Federation, whose aggression against Ukraine violates the very principles on which the organization was founded.
It remains a complex dilemma whether Russia should continue to sit at the negotiating table, or whether it is at least necessary to preserve formats like the OSCE as a space for dialogue. However, as long as Russia continues its attacks on Ukrainian territory and civilians, any meaningful dialogue will be extremely difficult — and the organization itself will remain paralyzed.
Watch the full interview here.
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