Russia’s Foreign Minister Travels to Malta for Security Summit
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has arrived in Malta for a European security summit. This is his first visit to an EU state since the start of the war in Ukraine.
Lavrov’s Ukrainian counterpart, Andriy Sybiga, walked out of the hall before Lavrov spoke. The Ukrainian foreign ministry said this was because of Lavrov’s presence.
Many people are unhappy about Lavrov attending the summit. Poland’s foreign minister refused to meet him and called him a “war criminal”. Lavrov said the West is causing a new Cold War.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also attended the summit. He accused Russia of making the war in Ukraine worse and spreading false information. He said this was not about Russia’s security, but about Russian leader Vladimir Putin wanting to erase Ukraine from the map.
Lavrov and Blinken are not meeting at the summit. Several people left the hall before Lavrov spoke.
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) is a group of 57 states that aims to prevent conflict and manage crises in Europe. Russia has been critical of the OSCE, saying it is being used by Western countries for their own interests.
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