Blinken avoids Lavrov at OSCE meeting after Russian flight diverted because of sanctions
Read NV on Google
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken left Skopje, where an OSCE meeting was taking place, before Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov arrived, the Balkan service of Radio Liberty, Slobodna Evropa, reported on Nov. 29.
Lavrov arrived after being forced to take a 5-hour, 4,000-kilometer flight over Turkey and Greece, instead of Bulgaria, as previously announced. North Macedonia temporarily lifted its ban on Russian flights to allow the Russian delegation to participate in the OSCE summit.
Bulgaria refused the flight after being made aware of the presence of Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova, who is under EU sanctions.
In a note explaining its decision, Bulgaria said that while Lavrov was granted permission, “The permission does not apply to Maria Zakharova … who appears on the list of sanctions, according to the current EU law.”
It should be noted, however, that Lavrov himself is also on the EU sanctions list.
Blinken held meetings with the Foreign Affairs Minister of North Macedonia and OSCE Chairman Bujar Osmani, as well as with Prime Minister Dimitar Kovacevski.
He attended a dinner on the sidelines of the OSCE summit, after which he left North Macedonia, before Lavrov arrived after his long flight on the evening of Nov. 29.
On his X page, Blinken said he had "productive conversations" with his OSCE colleagues.
"Despite Russia’s obstructionism, we remain fully committed to the OSCE, its founding principles, and the important work that is achieved," he wrote.
Foreign Minister Osmani thanked Blinken for his "exceptional support" during the OSCE chairmanship.
In his meeting with Kovacevski, Blinken said that the United States highly values North Macedonia's contribution as a NATO ally and as a factor of stability in the Western Balkans.
He also noted that his country will continue to support North Macedonia on its path to European Union membership.
Earlier media reported that Blinken will attend the OSCE meeting, but he does not plan to meet with Lavrov.
The meeting of OSCE foreign ministers in North Macedonia is scheduled to take place from Nov. 30 to Dec. 1 in Skopje.
On Nov. 28, Ukraine's Foreign Ministry announced that Dmytro Kuleba will not participate inthe OSCE ministerial meeting because of Lavrov's presence at the summit.
Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia also said that their foreign ministers had also decided not to attend the OSCE Ministerial Council because of Lavrov's participation.
Later, Polish Foreign Minister Szymon Szynkowski vel Sęk announced a similar decision.
The military war may be swinging in our favor, but the information war continues.
Just as an army needs soldiers, so does a free society need its journalists to ensure that people have access to honest, trustworthy voices to understand the world around them.
For the past five years, The New Voice of Ukraine has been working tirelessly to push back against Russian narratives and defend democracy. But we cannot do it alone.
Please consider supporting us on Patreon for just $5 a month – your donation does directly to supporting journalists and ensuring that this front of the infowar says solid and defended.
Thank you.
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Google News
