Russian foreign minister to attend OSCE meeting in Malta

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has been invited to attend an OSCE ministerial meeting in Malta on 5-6 December in what could be his first visit to the EU since 2022. Source: Radio Liberty, as reported by European Pravda  Details: OSCE officials told Radio Liberty that Lavrov's invitation was intended to start a dialogue to reach agreement on matters such as the filling of four vacant leadership positions in the organisation, future presidencies, and the budget.

According to Radio Liberty, the Russian foreign minister will attend the lunch on the first day of the OSCE summit but will not be at the dinner, which will focus on Russia's aggression against Ukraine.

In terms of the order of statements, which is determined by drawing lots, Ukraine will speak first and Russia fourth, having changed places with Tajikistan. Furthermore, Radio Liberty's sources say that this time EU representatives are unlikely to pointedly boycott the Russian speech. Instead, they will "answer Lavrov and the huge amount of lies that he usually comes with".

Background: 

• If Lavrov is allowed to visit Malta, it will be his first visit to an EU country since the beginning of the full-scale invasion.

  Poland refused to let Lavrov attend a ministerial summit in Lodz when it held the OSCE presidency in 2022.

• Lavrov has however been permitted to visit the United States to attend UN events, and last year he attended an OSCE ministerial meeting in North Macedonia, which is not yet a member of the EU. 

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