What's happened
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov attended the OSCE summit in Malta, marking his first visit to an EU member state since the Ukraine invasion. His presence drew protests from Ukrainian and Polish officials, highlighting ongoing tensions between Russia and the West.
Why it matters
What the papers say
According to The Moscow Times, Lavrov accused the West of fostering a 'reincarnation of the Cold War' during his speech at the OSCE meeting. Meanwhile, The Independent reported that Malta's Foreign Minister highlighted the systematic threat posed by Russia to European security. This divergence illustrates the contrasting narratives surrounding the summit, with Russia framing its actions as defensive against Western aggression, while Western officials view them as destabilizing.
How we got here
Lavrov's attendance at the OSCE summit comes after years of strained relations following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The OSCE has struggled to function effectively due to Russia's veto power and calls for its exclusion from the organization.
More on these topics
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Malta, officially known as the Republic of Malta and formerly Melita, is a Southern European island country consisting of an archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea. It lies 80 km south of Italy, 284 km east of Tunisia, and 333 km north of Libya.
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Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which borders it to the east and northeast.
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Maria Vladimirovna Zakharova is the Director of the Information and Press Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation from 10 August 2015. She has a degree of Candidate in Historical Sciences, the Russian equivalent of a PhD.
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Antony John Blinken is an American government official who served as United States Deputy Secretary of State from 2015 to 2017 and Deputy National Security Advisor from 2013 to 2015 under President Barack Obama.