The United States is not pushing Malta to join Nato, according to the US Ambassador to the OSCE - Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe.

Speaking to Times of Malta on Thursday, Michael Carpenter said the subject was not a topic of discussion in any forum.

“We are not pushing Malta to join Nato. The US never pushed for any EU country to join Nato,” he said, adding that whenever any new country joined, it was upon its own request

Carpenter was speaking to Maltese reporters in Vienna following the first OSCE council meeting under Malta's presidency.

Foreign Minister Ian Borg delivered his inaugural address.  

On Wednesday, Foreign Affairs Minister Ian Borg also said Malta was not being pressured to join NATO.

The vast majority of the Maltese people support Malta’s military neutrality and have no intention of changing that position, he told Times of Malta in Vienna.

Malta is also bound to remain neutral in terms of its constitution.

The OSCE (Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe) was founded in the 1970s to ease tensions between the East and the West during the Cold War.

'Risk that war could escalate is always there'

Times of Malta also asked Carpenter whether the US feared that the war in Ukraine would spread.

Carpenter said there was always the danger or risk that the war could escalate "both vertically and horizontally” and the US took the risk very seriously.

“There is always a risk to all the countries on Russia’s periphery. Russia has proven that it seeks to redraw the borders of sovereign states on the European continent,” he said.

“We have been steadfast in giving Ukraine the military needs to defend itself but also not committing military forces inside it. We are working very hard through Nato to enhance our deterrence and defence capabilities to help out allies that share a border with Russia or are close to Russian borders.”

Michael Carpenter had but words of praise for Minister Ian Borg and Malta. Photo: US Embassy to the OSCE

‘Super thankful for Malta’

Carpenter had words of praise for Ian Borg and for Malta.

He said the United States was “absolutely delighted” and “super thankful” that Malta accepted to take the helm of the OSCE at the eleventh hour, without much time to prepare but out of conviction for the values of the organisation.

Malta was unexpectedly chosen to lead the OSCE late last year  after Russia vetoed Estonia’s bid for the chairpersonship.

The presidency rotates annually and Malta was the only country all participating states – including the US and Russia – could agree on, despite its clear stand in favour of Ukraine in the ongoing war.

“Malta stepped forward despite its obligations on the UN Security Council out of responsibility for the faith of the organisation [OSCE]. We’re grateful and happy because in Malta we see an EU member state that shares our values and principles and understands what’s important to the security of the region right now,” Carpenter said.

“What we have seen Minister Borg articulate today is exactly what we were hoping to see – Ukrainian sovereignty at the top but also a range of other important issues,” he said.

Earlier in the morning in Vienna Borg told diplomats from 57 countries – including Russia and Ukraine – that Malta’s top priority as the head of the OSCE was to keep the Ukraine war on the agenda. He announced he was heading for Kyiv next week to discuss the plight of the country and explore aid packages.

Minister Ian Borg delivering his inaugural address as chair of the OSCE in Vienna on Thursday. Photo: MFET

Carpenter said Borg’s inaugural address “aligns almost perfectly” with the US’s priorities for the organisation.

'I wouldn't say Russia pushed for it'

Asked by Times of Malta whether it was Russia that pushed for Malta to be made chair, Carpenter said it was not the case.

“I wouldn’t say Russia pushed for it, but it agreed to it, obviously,” he said.

The OSCE remains one of very few diplomatic communication channels between the West and Russia and its allies. 

Carpenter also pointed to other work done by the OSCE, such as fighting corruption, human trafficking and violence, monitoring elections and protecting media freedom in the region and upholding countries’ freedoms, sovereignty and human rights.

There is a lot of cooperation happening that does not involve Russia, he said. It consists of several political and humanitarian aid missions which truly impact people’s lives in the most useful and meaningful ways.