Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will visit Malta in December in his first EU visit since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
He willparticipate in the annual meetings of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), according to Russian media.
The 31st OSCE Ministerial Council will take place between 5 to 6 December in Valletta.
According to Russian media, the information was confirmed by the official representatives of the Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova.
The last time Lavrov visited an EU country was in December 2021, for an OSCE Ministerial Council meeting in Stockholm.
Lavrov, like Russian President Vladimir Putin, has been on the EU's individual sanctions list since February 2022.
Malta’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Ian Borg currently occupies the rotating office of chairperson for OSCE.
According to a brief statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Lavrov and Borg held a brief meeting on the sidelines of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly.
The two discussed some aspects of Russia-Malta relations and also brought up OSCE activities, including the upcoming OSCE Ministerial Council Meeting in Malta.