This manual traces the evolution of the Helsinki process over the years of the Cold War and its role in overcoming it, and analyzes its adaptation to the conditions of post-confrontational Europe. Particular attention is paid to identifying the weaknesses of the Helsinki process and justifying the relevance of concluding a new treaty on European security. The deforming influence of the expansion of NATO and the EU and the transformation of the CSCE into the OSCE on the system of political priorities of Western countries is considered. A critical assessment of the current state of each of the three "baskets" of the Helsinki process is given, an analysis of its development as a whole, and alternatives are proposed to Russia's participation in CSS in strengthening European security.