Lavrov: US' Blinken, EU's Borrell 'chickened out' of talking to Russia
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Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania all boycotted the Skopje event, claiming in a joint statement that Lavrov’s attendance “risks legitimizing aggressor Russia as a rightful member of our community of free nations.”
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Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is laughing during his news conference at the time of the OSCE meeting in Skopje, North Macedonia, on Friday, December 1, 2023. (AP)
During a press conference in Skopje, North Macedonia, on Friday for the Organization for Security and Cooperation (OSCE) summit, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov called out US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell for having "chickened out" of talking to Russia.
RT quoted Lavrov as stating that both Borrell and Blinken left the event early as a result of being too afraid to engage in an open dialogue with Russia, as he told reporters that Blinken was "fleeing" from the event.
Lavrov further noted that some local media were attempting to cast a shadow over Russia by releasing a photo of summit participants with Lavrov seemingly absent, to try to convince the world that Russia is isolated over the war in Ukraine.
The Russian Foreign Minister then revealed that the photos were taken before the summit opening and the photos published on the next day showed all the participants with Lavrov. He also noted that the foreign ministers from Ukraine, Poland and Baltic states were not present.
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"I believe both Blinken and [top EU diplomat Josep] Borrell left as well. They might say that they are emphasizing their intention to isolate Russia, but I think they are just afraid, scared of an honest conversation with facts at hand."
Some EU foreign ministers were attempting to dodge talking about Western "shenanigans", which intend to deny Russian diplomats access to international events such as UN and UNESCO meetings.
'On the brink of the abyss'
Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania all boycotted the Skopje event, claiming in a joint statement that Lavrov’s attendance "risks legitimizing aggressor Russia as a rightful member of our community of free nations."
Polish Foreign Minister Szymon Szynkowski vel Sek echoed that position by saying that it cannot ignore that Lavrov "will be present at the table of the organization that is supposed to build peace and security in Europe."
Lavrov delivered an important speech at the summit and raised the alarm for European members that the OSCE digressed into a "deplorable state" as a result of "short-sighted" Western-made decisions.
He stated that the future of the OSCE is "unclear" and was now "on the brink of the abyss."
This comes after Czech President Petr Pavel echoed Central Europe's support of Ukraine, as NATO views Russia as the biggest threat in Europe and is currently preparing for a major conflict, according to Pavel.
Pavel noted that he does not believe his counterparts have a differing view on the war in Ukraine, saying, "We’ve all agreed that it is in our imminent interest that Ukraine succeed," as he called aiding Ukraine a "naturally human step."
When asked about a potential threat to NATO from Russia, Pavel urged caution, but argued it would take years for Russia to refurbish its military capabilities.
"On the other hand, there are many variables in the calculation that could change the situation. It will really depend on the outcome of the conflict in Ukraine," he said, noting, "All armies are preparing for the possibility of a high-intensity conflict."
