Ukraine Crisis and Mediation Not Business as Usual

This contribution examines mediation efforts undertaken by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in the context of the current crisis in and around Ukraine. It describes the establishment and evolution of the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG) and the mediated peace talks on the conflict in eastern Ukraine - the Minsk Process. Drawing from the author's insider perspective, it sheds light on the unique aspects of the framework compared to classical mediation processes. It argues that, due to its connectivity with high-level diplomacy as well as its ability to adapt to a constantly evolving conflict, the Minsk Process represents a valuable, flexible, at times untypical, mediation framework.