UK reaffirms indivisibility of Helsinki principles amid ongoing Russian aggression in Ukraine: UK statement to the OSCE
Deputy Ambassador James Ford reaffirms commitment to the Helsinki Final Act as the cornerstone of European security. UK condemns Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and calls for full respect of sovereignty, territorial integrity, and indivisible security.
The signing of the Helsinki Final Act was a milestone agreement for security and cooperation across Europe. The UK continues to see the Act’s ten principles, including respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity, human rights, and the peaceful resolution of disputes, as the fundamental basis for true security in Europe.
This year we should have been able to focus on the Helsinki Final Act’s positive and historic legacy. A shining example of how – even in the midst of the Cold War, with Europe divided – our predecessors could agree on a set of fundamental principles for preserving peace in our continent. They did not do so lightly, or easily: every word in the Decalogue was painstakingly debated and negotiated. Their efforts developed the framework under which all our states committed to respect one another’s security, and to protect the rights of our citizens.
But 2025 has instead been dominated by Russia’s continued aggression against Ukraine. Russia’s drones and missiles are still striking Ukrainian civilian targets indiscriminately. Russia remains unapologetic; it has been the victim of its aggression, Ukraine, that has shown serious commitment to peace.
The UK will continue to highlight and condemn Russia’s aggression for as long as it persists. As we stated here at the OSCE earlier this year: ‘doing so is necessary because of the obvious humanitarian imperative, but it is also a question of living up to our promises to one another when we signed the Helsinki Final Act.’
We therefore welcome the topic of today’s Security Dialogue and would like to thank Finland for their ongoing support for discussion, for providing an exceptional panel of experts, and for the excellent supporting material.
The UK remains committed to the indivisibility of the Helsinki principles because that ensures they are treated as a single, interconnected framework. If one principle is ignored it undermines the credibility and effectiveness of the others. However, Russia has repeatedly distorted the Helsinki Final Act’s principle of indivisible security by selectively interpreting it to oppose NATO enlargement while ignoring other core commitments, such as states’ sovereign right to choose alliances. Moscow falsely frames NATO’s open-door policy as a threat to its security, using this excuse for military aggression, including the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. This skewed interpretation contradicts the Act’s balanced framework, which links security with respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity, and peaceful dispute resolution, principles Russia has persistently violated while it claims to defend indivisible security.
Reaffirming our commitments under the Helsinki Final Act, including the principle of the indivisibility of security, is essential to addressing the challenges we face today and to preserving stability across the wider European continent. The indivisibility of security reminds us that the security of one state cannot be achieved at the expense of another. This principle is not abstract, it is fundamental to reducing tensions and to preventing conflict.