Russia’s Lavrov clashes with Blinken at OSCE meeting
Al JazeeraNov 23, 2024
American, Russian, and Ukrainian Foreign Ministers Clash in Malta
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Above: Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov gestures as he attends the plenary session of the 31st Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Ministerial summit in Ta'Qali, Malta, on Dec. 5, 2024. Image copyright: Alberto Pizzoli/AFP/Contributor via Getty Images
The Facts
America's, Russia's, and Ukraine's top diplomats were all in a room together for a meeting of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in Malta on Thursday — at least briefly until some member nations staged walkouts in protest.
For Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, it was his first trip to the EU since the Russia-Ukraine war started nearly three years ago. Ukraine, which boycotted last year's OSCE meeting, was represented by its foreign minister Andrii Sybiha. The US was represented by outgoing Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
It's a shame the Russian ambassador didn't repay the courtesy of listening to the US remarks. Not every claim will be responded to as the Russian colleague is adept at drowning others with a tsunami of misinformation, but he did say something right — the indivisibility of security. However, it cannot be a one-way street for Russia at Ukraine's expense.
Pro-Russia narrative
While Russia still values the OSCE, as it is the remaining pan-European forum on security where Russia can have input, the US under the current administration sought to bury the memory of the Afghan withdrawal by finding a new enemy it can provoke. While Russia still prefers to settle this conflict peacefully, its position has been made clear should the US continue to escalate.
