Ukraine and the Baltic states say they will boycott the OSCE meeting because of Lavrov

Ukraine and the three Baltic states have warned that they will boycott the meeting of the Council of Ministers of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), in Skopje, North Macedonia, after the invitation to the Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, who said that plans to attend it.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba "will boycott the OSCE ministerial meeting after the decision to allow Lavrov's participation," Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Oleg Nikolenko told AFP.

Bulgaria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs gave permission for Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov's plane to fly over Bulgaria, the Bulgarian Radio Free Europe Service reported.

According to him, the decision was taken after the request of North Macedonia - the country that currently holds the office of chairman of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

The pass is temporary and valid only for this flight.

According to the announcement, the authorization for Lavrov falls under the exception to the EU sanctions regime against him and "does not apply to members of his delegation, who are also sanctioned under current EU law."

The Baltic states have followed the example of Ukraine to not participate in the OSCE meeting in the capital of North Macedonia, because of Lavrov.

Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania said on Tuesday that their top diplomats will not attend a meeting of the Council of Ministers after the decision to allow Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to attend.

In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of the Baltic countries said that Lavrov's planned participation "risks legitimizing an aggressive Russia as a rightful member of our community of free nations", adding that they had "decided not to participate". at the meeting in the capital of North Macedonia.

"Lavrov's participation trivializes the atrocious crimes that Russia continues to commit," Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna told a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Brussels.

"Lavrov's place is in a special court, not at the OSCE table," he added, explaining the Baltic states' joint decision to skip the meeting.

Last year, OSCE host Poland refused to let Lavrov attend, a decision that angered Russia.

Earlier, the European Commission said that Lavrov can travel to the EU and North Macedonia, despite being sanctioned.

The OSCE Council of Ministers is expected to be held from November 29 to December 1, 2023.

Over 70 delegations from OSCE member and partner countries are expected to arrive in Skopje for this week's meeting.

Russia is one of the 57 member countries of the OSCE.

Since the Russian state launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, most countries in Europe - including Bulgaria - have closed their airspace to Russian aircraft, expressing solidarity with Ukraine.

In June of last year, Lavrov's visit to Serbia was canceled because its neighboring countries - Bulgaria, North Macedonia and Montenegro - banned the flight of his plane in their airspace.