Creeping de-isolation: Why Lavrov was allowed entry into a European Union country.

On December 4-5, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiga visited Malta, where the 31st annual meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) took place. As noted by the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, the country's chief diplomat focused primarily on Russian aggression against Ukraine, its implications for security within and beyond the OSCE area, and the necessity of achieving a "comprehensive, just, and sustainable peace."

A key feature of this ministerial meeting was the participation of Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov, despite the fact that he is under EU sanctions and Malta is a member of the European Union. In 2022, it is worth recalling, Poland did not invite the delegation from the aggressor country, while in 2023, Ukrainian diplomats boycotted the meeting in North Macedonia (which is not yet an EU member), to which Lavrov eventually made his way through alternative routes, despite Bulgaria's ban on the Russian delegation's special flight traversing its airspace due to the presence of the notorious Maria Zakharova, who is infamous in every sense.

Just before the current meeting in Valletta, it was also revealed that Zakharova's visa had been annulled. The Russian Foreign Ministry stated that this occurred due to attempts by Western nations to "Ukrainize" the OSCE agenda.

Meanwhile, Zakharova herself reported that her previously issued visa was annulled with the phrase "due to circumstances beyond our control." “What kind of circumstances? A magnetic storm? An asteroid in Yakutsk? Retrograde Mercury? Previously, we spoke about the "three baskets" of the OSCE, which outlined the basic principles of cooperation and interaction within the organization. Now there is neither cooperation nor interaction, and instead of principles, there is a lack of principles. The OSCE is now discarding its own decisions into all these baskets. How many treacherous actions has this Western hydra orchestrated against everyone, including Russian diplomats! What painful fantasies have the "Russophobes in their own hell" attempted to realize!” Zakharova expressed her outrage on her Telegram channel.

In the meantime, Times of Malta reported that the official Valletta annulled Zakharova's visa before the OSCE Foreign Ministers' Council meeting due to objections from the Baltic states: "As the current head of the OSCE, Malta was able to request an exemption from the sanctions ban, which is why Maria Zakharova was issued a visa. However, later Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia refused to send their foreign ministers to the meeting in protest against the presence of Russians there. Polish authorities also opposed the issuance of a visa to the Russian Foreign Minister."

Interestingly, remembering Lavrov's visit to Macedonia accompanied by 90 people, Malta limited national delegations to six individuals. Although Lavrov received an invitation to lunch, he was not invited to the themed dinner focused on discussing Russian aggression.

It should be noted that during his speech filled with cynical lies, Lavrov stated that the US and its allies "threw all agreements on arms control, made in the 1980s, onto the scrap heap." In his view, this leads to the risk of a "reincarnation of the Cold War" and its transition to a hot phase. "The ideal of security for frontline states in the fight against the 'Russian threat' has become borders wrapped in barbed wire, anti-tank ditches, and waiting in line for the right to host foreign troops on their territory," declared the chief Russian diplomat.

And it gets worse. "The US attacked us using the Ukrainian regime: they wage war against us through Ukrainian neo-Nazis, arm them, and help them shell our territory with long-range weapons," asserted the pawn on Putin's power chessboard, adding that Washington is the main culprit in the current situation. We will return to Lavrov shortly, but for now, let’s focus on the general atmosphere.

So, the 31st meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the OSCE countries, attended by 57 delegations, began with a speech from the host of the meeting in Malta, the local Foreign Minister Ian Borg. However, before he could start his speech, a deafening noise erupted in the hall. "It's just rain," Mr. Borg told the bewildered delegates. He called it "a good omen," explaining that 35 years ago, US and Soviet leaders George Bush and Mikhail Gorbachev held a historic meeting in Malta, which brought the end of the Cold War closer, precisely in stormy weather. The diplomats supported Ian Borg's attempt to lighten the mood with a hearty laugh. However, as soon as the chair began his opening speech, the smiles of those present turned into grimaces. "Relations among OSCE members are facing serious challenges in the field of peace and security," the Maltese diplomat stated right away. He then clarified what rivalry and what issues he was referring to: "This is our third meeting since the start of the Russian war against Ukraine, which represents a systemic threat to European security."

In general, credit must be given: Ian Borg dedicated more than a third of his lengthy speech to Ukraine. This is somewhat understandable since when Malta took over the presidency a year ago, it expressed hope for the swift end of the war on European territory, but now Mr. Borg regrettably noted: "Not much has changed. Except that the situation has become even more complicated."

Ian Borg was not the only one who spoke primarily about Ukraine. The tone for discussions was set by the Foreign Minister of our country, Andriy Sibiga, who was given the opportunity to speak first among the OSCE member states. "Russia is not a partner. It is the greatest threat to our collective security," declared the head of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, labeling the present Lavrov in the hall as a war criminal. At the same time, Mr. Sibiga exited the hall of the OSCE plenary sessions before his Russian "colleague" began his speech.

It is very noteworthy that the messages from Western ministers in the first ten speakers resonated in unison with Mr. Sibiga's address. The most militant position was taken by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who stated that behind Russia's claims of security threats from Ukraine and the West lies an "imperial project" of Moscow, centered around the idea of "wiping Ukraine off the map." Blinken also accused the aggressor country of attempts to undermine the fundamental principles of the OSCE, as outlined in the 1975 Helsinki Act. He added that most members of the organization remain committed to its mission.

"The whole problem in our relations with the US is that they do not keep their word. They promised not to expand NATO – they did the exact opposite; they signed documents at OSCE summits stating that no organization in this area would claim dominance – NATO has been doing exactly the opposite all these years. There are many such examples, including regarding the Ukrainian crisis. We will never return to the situation that existed at the beginning of 2022," Lavrov stated. He emphasized that Russia "will never slam the door on relations with anyone," but will closely observe what ideas are brought to it. "When they (the US – ed.) come to their senses – if they come to their senses – and offer some concrete things based on mutual interests, we will see and draw conclusions based on the content of such proposals," concluded the Kremlin diplomat, thus conveying a simple "hello" from Malta to the newly elected US President Donald Trump.

However, Lavrov did not limit himself to this format. On the night of Friday, December 6, he gave a one-and-a-half-hour interview to the well-known Tucker Carlson, who is very close to the newly elected US president. "We would like to have normal relations with all our neighbors. With all countries, especially with such a great country as the US. President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin has repeatedly expressed his respect for the American people, the history of the United States, and American achievements in the world. We see no reason why Russia and the US cannot cooperate for the Universe," Lavrov stated.

"Some call what is happening in Ukraine a hybrid war. I would also call it that. It is obvious that Ukrainians could not do what they do with long-range modern weapons without the direct involvement of American servicemen. This is dangerous. There is no doubt about it. We do not want to exacerbate the situation. But since ATACMS and other long-range weapons are being used against Russian territory, we are sending signals. We hope that the last one from the new 'Oreshnik' system was taken seriously," Lavrov summarized, also naming "the key principle of Ukraine's non-aligned status." Thus, it is absolutely clear that the main "wish" that the Kremlin will promote during contacts with Trump will be the Euro-Atlantic case. But that is a topic for a separate discussion.