Thu Dec 05 19:11:46 UTC 2024: ## US and Russia Trade Accusations at OSCE Meeting Amid Ukraine War
**VALLETTA, Malta** – Tensions soared at the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) ministerial meeting in Malta as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov engaged in a war of words over the conflict in Ukraine. Lavrov, in his first visit to an EU nation since the invasion, accused the West of reviving the Cold War and provoking a direct conflict with Russia, claiming the US seeks a “new common enemy” following the withdrawal from Afghanistan. He walked out before Blinken could respond.
Blinken countered Lavrov’s accusations, directly blaming Russia for escalating the conflict. He cited Russia’s deployment of North Korean forces in Europe, use of an intermediate-range ballistic missile against Ukraine, lowering of the nuclear threshold, and attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure as evidence. He forcefully defended Ukraine’s sovereign right to choose its own future, directly contradicting Lavrov’s implied assertion of Russian influence.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha echoed Blinken’s sentiments, calling Russia’s presence in the OSCE a “threat to cooperation in Europe” and demanding justice for Ukraine. He stated unequivocally that Ukraine will prevail in the conflict.
The meeting, held amid the delicate situation following the US presidential election, highlighted the deep divisions within the OSCE. Russia’s participation has been contentious, with Ukraine previously calling for its exclusion. This year, the Maltese government denied a visa to Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova due to objections from three OSCE member states, though Lavrov himself was allowed to attend. The incident underscores the fractured state of European security and the ongoing stalemate in the Ukraine conflict.
First Piper 