Kremlin Lashes Out After Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov Is Disinvited From Poland OSCE Meeting
Polish officials have been accused of refusing Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov from a meeting of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in Lodz, Poland, next week, just days after questions about whether Russia’s war in Ukraine is spreading to neighboring Poland.
Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, accused Poland, the current OSCE chair, of obstructing European national security by barring Mr. Lavrov from leading a Russian delegation at the Second Council of Ministers. 29th.
“Today, the Polish presidency is practically destroying this venue of negotiations when they prevent a delegation from participating and speaking,” said Zakharova. TASS.
A spokesman for the Polish Foreign Ministry said that the Polish Foreign Ministry had informed the Kremlin that Lavrov was not welcome through a diplomatic note. Poland has also blocked Russian lawmakers from participating in this week’s meeting of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly in Warsaw, according to local Polish news agency, World TVP.
According to Poland, Lavrov was not allowed to attend because he was under sanctions.
“Delegations should be governed by existing EU regulations and not include those sanctioned by the European Union,” President of OSCE Poland said.
Mr. Lavrov’s exclusion from the meeting comes as Warsaw is grappling with the consequences of Russia’s war in Ukraine spreading to Poland. Last week, a few hours later Russia launched dozens of missile attacks on cities across Ukraine, an explosion in Przewodów in Poland, near the Polish border with Ukraine, killed two Polish citizens.
The incident raised the question of whether Poland, a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), could trigger a collective NATO retaliation that could lead to the collapse of NATO. . the most escalation of Russia’s nearly 10-month war in Ukraine.
Some authorities, including those in Ukraine, have questioned whether the attack was intentional or unintentional on behalf of the Russians. Polish Foreign Minister, Zbigniew Rau—who currently serves as Chairman of the OSCE Office—summon the Russian ambassador about the incident in the first hours after the strike.
NATO has said that evidence from a preliminary investigation indicates Ukrainian Air Defense Forces, activated to defend against Russian attacks, landed in Poland by accident. The White House National Security Council has pointed out that there is no evidence to contradict that initial finding.
An investigation into the incident is underway. The Pentagon has experts on site investigating, according to US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.
Despite being the Permanent Representative of Russia to the OSCE, Alexander Lukashevichwill attend the meeting in Poland next week in place of Lavrov, Russia is still protesting the decision.
“The decision of Poland, as the current president [OSCE]banning Foreign Minister Lavrov from the OSCE Council of Ministers is an unprecedented step,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. “Throughout this year, instead of trying to strengthen the OSCE, Warsaw has repeatedly destroyed its foundation.”
In response to the Russian complaint, President of the Polish OSCE responded, indicating that Russia was waging a selective war in Ukraine without provocation.
“The decision of Russia, as a participating state of [OSCE], waging a gratuitous all-out war of aggression against Ukraine is an unprecedented step,” the president said. “Throughout this year, instead of trying to strengthen the OSCE, Moscow has repeatedly destroyed the foundation of this organization.”
