Lavrov and Blinken to discuss Ukraine at OSCE meeting in Malta

December 5, 2024 – Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will meet today in Malta for the annual meeting of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to discuss the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Ukraine will be the main topic of talks, with both diplomats expected to address the political and military impact of Russia’s invasion. In addition to the war, the meeting will also focus on the approval of agreements regarding key positions in the OSCE, including those on security and human rights. These issues have been controversial, with Western countries often accusing Russia of violating human rights and international laws.

The meeting will involve foreign ministers and officials from 57 member countries, including the U.S., Europe, and Central Asia. This year’s gathering is taking place amid significant political shifts. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, who will take office in a month, has raised questions about ending the war by allowing Russia to keep large parts of Ukraine. His advisers are already exploring ways to shift U.S. policy.

While Western countries continue to back Ukraine, Lavrov is expected to criticize the OSCE's approach. He has previously said the organization is becoming "an extension of NATO and the European Union."

This is Lavrov’s first visit to the European Union since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The OSCE, originally created during the Cold War to encourage dialogue between East and West, has struggled in recent years. Russia has used its veto power to block important decisions, often slowing the organization’s work.

This year, the OSCE's budget has been delayed by disagreements between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the Nagorno-Karabakh region. Despite these issues, diplomats have confirmed an agreement was made to fill four senior positions in the OSCE, including the role of Secretary-General, which will be taken by Turkey’s Feridun Sinirlioglu.