Lavrov's Controversial Speech Dominates OSCE Security Summit

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's presence at the annual ministerial conference of the Organization for Security and Cooperation (OSCE) in Skopje, North Macedonia, caused friction and led to a boycott by some members. Poland, the Baltic countries, and Ukraine refused to attend, criticizing Russia's aggression against Ukraine. The OSCE, originally founded to ease tensions between the Soviet Union and the West, is currently paralyzed due to Russia's veto power. Lavrov dismissed criticism and accused the OSCE of being an appendage of NATO and the EU. Despite the controversy, Lavrov achieved his goal of demonstrating that Russia is not isolated and maintained ties with Kremlin-friendly EU nations. The OSCE, though sidelined in the current European security debate, remains important for future negotiations and bridge-building between Russia and the West.