Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will make a significant visit to a NATO member country this week, attending an OSCE meeting in North Macedonia. Lavrov’s visit marks his first trip to a NATO member since Russia’s military action in Ukraine.
The invitation for Lavrov to attend the meeting comes from North Macedonia, which currently holds the rotating chairmanship of the OSCE. As North Macedonia is a NATO member, Lavrov’s plane will have to fly through the airspace of either Bulgaria or Greece, both NATO countries, in order to reach its destination.
Fortunately for Lavrov, Bulgaria has granted permission for his plane to pass through its airspace. However, there is a catch. The permission does not extend to members of Lavrov’s delegation who are currently sanctioned by the European Union. This indicates the delicate balance between Russia and NATO countries.
Lavrov has already received requests for bilateral meetings from numerous foreign ministers attending the OSCE meeting. In response to the invitations, he has expressed his willingness to meet with everyone who has requested a meeting, indicating Russia’s desire to engage with its counterparts.
During the meeting, Lavrov expressed his concerns regarding the security situation in Europe, even going as far as to say that it is more dangerous now than during the Cold War. He emphasized that Russia is not seeking to rebuild ties with Europe, but rather to safeguard itself in all key sectors.
In addition, Lavrov suggested that Western support for Ukraine could diminish in the near future due to upcoming elections and other global events. Lavrov also criticized the reputation of European counterparts and their proposed solutions to the conflict in Ukraine.
This visit by Lavrov to a NATO member country signifies a significant development in Russia’s relations with the alliance. It will be interesting to see the outcome of the OSCE meeting and if any progress is made in resolving the conflicts and tensions between Russia and Western countries.
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