Of war in ukraine and the security situation in Europe are the subject of the Council of Ministers Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), which starts on Thursday (10 am) in Lodz, Poland. However, the two-day meeting of foreign ministers will take place without Russia’s top diplomat. Sergei Lavrov rather than. Poland, its Minister of Foreign Affairs Zbigniew Rau currently OSCE President Lavrov refused entry.
The 72-year-old is on the EU sanctions list because of Russia’s war against Ukraine. Moscow is now represented in Lodz by its Permanent Representative to the OSCE. The meeting will include foreign ministers Alexandre Schallenberg (ÖVP), its German counterpart Annalena Barbock and the British chief diplomat James Cleverley and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba to participate. On Thursday, the EU foreign policy representative Josep Borrell be there. US Secretary of State Antonio Blink is represented by senior diplomat Victoria Nuland.
OSCE monitored ceasefire for years
Russia is one of the 57 member states of the OSCE. The Vienna-based organization grew out of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, established in 1975 as part of the détente between East and West. In October, the OSCE condemned Russian attacks in Ukraine as “terror” against the civilian population. For years, the organization has monitored the fragile ceasefire between the Ukrainian army and pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine. After the Russian invasion began, the OSCE monitors withdrew.