Pro-Ukraine protesters gathered in Ta’ Qali on Friday to voice their opposition to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's presence at the Malta-hosted OSCE conference.
Around 40 individuals, including Ukrainian, Maltese, and other European citizens, participated in the demonstration organised by the Foundation for the Ukrainian Community in Malta.
The protest took place at the edge of the Ta’ Qali grounds, with participants holding banners featuring messages such as '#freeukrainiandefenders', 'Even wars have rules', and 'Respect the Geneva Convention'. Others displayed placards with Lavrov’s image while chanting slogans like “Glory to Ukraine” and “No place for war criminals. Malta for peace, not war.”
Alexia Melkonyan, chairperson of the foundation, said the "so-called diplomatic visits" are an insult to the victims of Russian aggression.
"Lavrov represents a regime that has brought unimaginable suffering to Ukraine. As a key member of the Russian Security Council, he supported the brutal invasion of Ukraine.”
Melkonyan expressed concerns over Malta’s invitation to Lavrov but welcomed the decision to deny a visa to Maria Zakharova, director of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs' information and press department.
Some protesters voiced scepticism about the OSCE’s effectiveness in resolving the ongoing conflict.
"The war is ongoing, and we're in its third year, we're finishing the third OSCE conference during the full-scale invasion,” she continued. "It doesn't seem to be very effective in my opinion.”
Despite Lavrov’s departure from Malta before the protest, participants felt a duty to raise awareness of the ongoing war in Ukraine and show solidarity.
Among the demonstrators, Lilia Belak shared a poignant testimony. Dressed in her military uniform, she tearfully recounted losing comrades she had served alongside in a Ukrainian battalion. “Our soldiers do everything, and we must do what we can,” she said.
Lavrov's presence in Malta also sparked protests among a number of OSCE member states, with some delegations walking out when the Russian minister made his intervention.