Lithuania is downgrading its representation at this week's ministerial meeting in Malta of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) because of the presence of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Instead of its foreign minister, BNS news agency said Lithuania will be represented by Rasma Ramoškaitė, director of the Foreign Ministry’s United Nations, International Organisations and Human Rights Department.
Lithuania had considered not attending the meeting at all but eventually decided to send its representative, as ministers will vote on issues important for Lithuania, the foreign affairs ministry was quoted as saying.
It said neighbouring Estonia would also not be sending its foreign affairs minister to Malta.
On Tuesday Poland’s deputy foreign minister blasted the OSCE for inviting Lavrov, in view of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Lavrov’s trip to Malta will be his first to an EU country since Russia launched its invasion in February 2022. The Russian foreign minister is under EU sanctions that include an asset freeze and a travel ban, but the latter can be temporarily lifted to allow him to attend international meetings on EU soil.
Paulina Levickytė, spokesperson for the Lithuanian foreign minister, was quoted by BNS as saying that Lithuania’s decision to send a representative to the OSCE meeting was made after taking into account the fact that important decisions on the future of the OSCE will be made, as well as a peer-to-peer discussion on the increase of OSCE support for Ukraine and a more effective role of the OSCE in strengthening the European security architecture.
“Lithuania’s ambition is to ensure that the international community’s support for Ukraine is not reduced and that the OSCE itself implements reforms that reflect the geopolitical reality,” she added.
“Lithuania continues to maintain that the participation of representatives from the aggressor country in the high-level meeting discredits the organisation and allows Russia to use it as a platform for spreading its lies and propaganda.”
The OSCE will group foreign ministers from all over Europe, including Ukraine. It will also be attended by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.