SKOPJE, North Macedonia (AP) — Russian Overseas Minister Sergey Lavrov confronted Western critics whereas attending worldwide safety talks Thursday in Northern Macedonia, the place he blamed “NATO’s reckless enlargement to the East” for warfare returning to Europe.
Lavrov arrived in Skopje to attend conferences hosted by the Group for Safety and Cooperation in Europe. The diplomats of a number of OSCE member nations, together with Ukraine, boycotted the occasion as a consequence of Lavrov’s deliberate attendance amid Russia’s warfare in Ukraine.
The Russian international minister spoke for quarter-hour earlier than strolling out of the conferences. He blamed what he described as Western tolerance of the “ruling neo-Nazi regime in Kyiv” for the warfare that began with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
“The very existence of Russians and their decisive contribution to the historical past of Ukraine are denied,” Lavrov mentioned. “There are many details. The OSCE and its related establishments are silent.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly alleged that Ukraine’s authorities is made up of “neo-Nazis,” though the nation has a democratically elected Jewish president who misplaced family within the Holocaust.
Putin and different Russian officers have invoked the Holocaust, World Warfare II and Nazism to legitimize the invasion of Ukraine. Historians see their rhetoric as disinformation and a cynical ploy.
Western ministers attending the OSCE assembly had been sharply important of Lavrov after he spoke.
“Russia’s makes an attempt in charge others for its personal decisions are clear,” mentioned Danish Overseas Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen, who was talking when Lavrov walked out.
“We is not going to compromise on the core rules of the European safety order or enable Russia to disclaim Ukraine the proper to make its personal unbiased international and safety coverage decisions – rules that Russia itself has agreed to,” he continued.
Based mostly in Vienna, Austria, the OSCE is an intergovernmental group centered on selling safety, stability, and cooperation amongst its taking part states.
NATO member North Macedonia lifted a ban on Russian flights to allow Lavrov to attend the assembly. Russian state information company Tass reported that the minister flew an extended route over Turkey and Greece to succeed in the summit after Bulgaria blocked his airplane from utilizing its airspace.
Greek officers didn’t instantly return a request for remark.
The international ministers of Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania had mentioned they’d not attend the talks as a consequence of Lavrov’s participation.
The Russian minister arrived in Skopje hours after U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken made a quick cease in North Macedonia’s capital late Wednesday.
James O’Brien, a U.S. assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian Affairs, attended the occasion Thursday and accused Russia of attempting to undermine the work of the OSCE.
“I add my voice to these of my colleagues calling to Russia to cease its violations of the essential rules of the group, however I’m unsure that they’re … keen to pay attention,” O’Brien mentioned.
North Macedonia’s international minister, Bujar Osmani, mentioned the OSCE had endured as a corporation regardless of Russia’s actions in Ukraine.
“Warfare undermines belief, dialogue and our capability to ship. Above all, it devastates the lives of ordinarily folks,” Osmani mentioned whereas internet hosting Thursday’s conferences.
___ Gatopoulos reported from Athens.