Switzerland held the OSCE Chairmanship in 2014 – for the second time since it first held the post in 1996. In 2015, Switzerland continues at the helm of the OSCE within the framework of the Troika, which comprises the current Chair, Serbia, the previous year's Chair, Switzerland, and the country that takes over the Chair in the following year, Germany. The purpose of the Troika is to ensure continuity in the OSCE's political priorities.

Of prime important for the OSCE is the need to continue in 2015 its efforts to de-escalate and overcome the crisis in Ukraine. Switzerland remains committed to finding a political solution to the conflict on the basis of the Minsk agreements of September 2014 that were negotiated between the Trilateral Contact Group and representatives of the separatist groups from eastern Ukraine. The Trilateral Contact Group comprises representatives of Ukraine and Russia. Ambassador Heidi Tagliavini of Switzerland continues to work in this body as special envoy of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office.  Switzerland supports the Special Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (SMMU) financially and by seconding experts. The SMMU was established on 21 March 2014 under the Swiss Chairmanship and with the agreement of all OSCE participating States.

The Ukraine crisis has brought to the surface a crisis of confidence among the participating States. For this reason Switzerland attaches great importance to cooperative security and restoring confidence within Europe. In close cooperation with Serbia and Germany, Switzerland set up a group of 15 eminent persons mandated to draw conclusions from the Ukraine crisis and to support the OSCE participating States in conducting an inclusive and constructive dialogue on security in the Euro-Atlantic and Eurasian region.

Around hundred young people – students, activists – participated in the meeting with Swiss politician Mr. François Lachat, First President of the government of the youngest Canton of Jura in Switzerland.

The event was organized by the Bohdan Hawrylyshyn School in partnership with Swiss Cooperation Office Ukraine and the Embassy of Switzerland in Ukraine.

Welcoming speech was presented by Dr. Dr Bohdan Hawrylyshyn, Head of the Bohdan Hawrylyshyn Charitable Foundation. All the participants were also greeted by Dr Christian Schoenenberger, Ambassador of Switzerland to Ukraine and Mr Holger Tausch, Director of the Swiss Cooperation Office Ukraine.

Mr. François Lachat is a politician with significant experience. At his time he was a Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee (FAC) of the Swiss Parliament, Co-founder & former vice-president of the Assembly of European Regions (AER), Head of the Swiss delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). During his speech, Mr. Lachat shared his knowledge and experience in finding consensus in controversial political and local conflicts peacefully, showing it on the example of Canton of Jura.

For Ukraine Swiss experience in conflict solving could be of great importance, especially at the current situation. This was demonstrated by the youth that was asking serious questions and provoking hot discussion.