@incollection{2026:mackiewicz:localized_,
title = {Localized Ceasefires: Lessons from the OSCE Engagement in Ukraine, 2014–2022},
year = {2026},
note = {This paper explores the underexamined role of localized ceasefires
facilitated by the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine
between 2014 and 2022. While not part of the Mission’s original
mandate, these localized arrangements became critical tools for
enabling humanitarian access and infrastructure repairs amid ongoing
hostilities. Drawing on field experience and operational data, the
paper analyzes the SMM’s efforts to negotiate temporary truces, the
challenges posed by the expansion of the Mission’s tasks, and its
constrained ability to assign responsibility for ceasefire violations.
It argues that localized ceasefires, despite their ad hoc nature,
offer valuable lessons for future missions in protracted conflict
settings. The paper concludes with policy-oriented recommendations to
institutionalize localized ceasefire mechanisms, enhance local
ownership, and ensure the strategic integration of field-level
innovations into broader peacebuilding efforts.},
booktitle = {OSCE Insights 2025},
pages = {1--11},
edition = {1},
author = {Mackiewicz, Lukasz},
publisher = {Nomos},
address = {Baden-Baden},
series = {},
volume = {}
}