Maria Zakharova, the ministry’s spokeswoman, told Vedomosti on October 31 that Sergei Lavrov will visit Malta in December to attend a meeting of the Organization for Security and Cooperation Ministerial Council.
If the visit happens, it will be Lavrov’s first trip to a European country since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in Ukraine.
Lavrov’s last visit to an EU country took place in 2021 when he attended the OSCE meeting held in Stockholm, Sweden. He also visited New York’s U.N. General Assembly several times during Moscow‘s all-out conflict.
The EU and U.S. both imposed sanctions against Lavrov in Febuary 2022 but did not impose any travel bans as the EU, U.K. and U.S. wanted to maintain diplomatic channels with Russia.
The Russian newspaper reported that the Maltese Embassy in Russia stated that the decision to hold a meeting of the OSCE’s Council of Foreign Ministers on Dec. 5-6, “applies to [its] all members, including the Russian Federation.”
In 2023, Lavrov was invited to the OSCE summit held in North Macedonia. This caused a rift between OSCE members and led to the boycott of the meeting of the foreign ministers from Ukraine, Poland and the Baltic States.
In the 1970s, the OSCE was founded as the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe. This provided a forum for dialogue between the Eastern Bloc and Western Bloc in the Cold War.
The “East Shield Program” aims to strengthen Poland’s border with Belarus and the Russian exclave Kaliningrad.
The General Staff reported that Russia launched more than 2,00 strike drones against Ukraine in October, breaking the previous record of nearly 700 set in September.
Following the suspension of operations at Arctic LNG 2, Russian LNG tankers have gathered off Russia’s east coast, indicating that Moscow has been unable to find buyers.
Trump has praised and backed Putin repeatedly, but rarely criticised him. He called the Russian invasion of Ukraine “genius” and a “smart” move in 2022.
Two men were arrested in Moscow recently after allegedly attempting to steal 25 packets butter.
The Air Force reported that Ukrainian forces shot down 31 of 48 Shahed drones and unidentified drones launched overnight by Russia. The Air Force added that 14 more drones had been “lost” and three others were flying towards Belarus.
Svetlograd is a town with around 35,000 inhabitants, located over 600 km (372 miles), southeast of the Ukrainian border in Donetsk Oblast.
This includes 1,460 casualties that Russian forces have suffered in the last day.
After the Ministerial Conference on the Human Dimension of the Peace Formula held in Montreal, more than 45 countries signed an agreement on October 31 to support the facilitation of the return of all Ukrainian deportees and captives.
Oleh Osiian is the first deputy head of the State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety and Consumer Protection. He said that Ukraine and China are currently in talks to expand the exports of agricultural products.
Zelensky stated that the document was likely to cover issues related to national minorities and security cooperation.
Radiy Khabirov said that a Ukrainian drone had struck an oil refinery located in the city Ufa, in Russia’s Bashkortostan republic.
Antony Blinken, a British journalist, said that there have been no clashes yet between the North Korean military and the Ukrainian military. However, he added that they could happen “in the next few days.”
Interfax Ukraine reported that Mykola Tochytskyi, Culture Minister, said that the Ukrainian government does not plan to stop its support for the telethon – Ukraine’s state run pool of TV channels, created during the wartime – before the end the martial law.
Donald Tusk, the Polish Prime Minister, said in July that Warsaw could provide Kyiv additional Soviet-made jets if they can find a suitable replacement. Wladyslaw KOSINIAK-KAMYSZ, the Polish Defense Minister, responded to Zelensky’s call for a speedy transfer by saying, “Poland takes decisions based upon its security, and has already done all it can for Ukraine.”
In an interview published by the South Korean KBS TV on October 31, President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed to the West the fact that North Korea actively participates in the war against Ukraine.
“You do your job. You rely on reserves, special brigades and such equipment. If you get 10% of the package that has already been voted upon, then you’re in luck. Zelensky said, “It’s not funny.”
“Security and defense will be the priority of the budget for next year.” All taxes paid by individuals and businesses will be used to strengthen our military capabilities and defenders, Prime Minister Denys smyhal announced on his Telegram channel.
Bloomberg reported that the decision was in line according to analysts’ predictions and comes as Ukraine prepares for next week’s U.S. Presidential election.
Read More @ kyivindependent.com