Russia to attend OSCE ministerial meeting if Bulgaria allows use of airspace: Lavrov

There are already ‘several requests’ to have talks on sidelines of meeting, including from representatives of Western countries, says Russian foreign minister

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) - Russia will attend the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe’s (OSCE) ministerial meeting later this week if Bulgaria allows the use of its airspace, the foreign minister said on Monday.

“Now it seems that North Macedonia has invited us to the OSCE Council of Foreign Ministers. Bulgaria seems to have promised North Macedonia to open its airspace. If it works, we'll be there,” Sergey Lavrov said in an address at an international forum in Moscow.

In February 2022, the EU, as well as individual EU member states, announced that it closed its airspace to Russian planes in response to Moscow's war on Ukraine.

Lavrov said that they have already received “several requests” to hold talks on the sidelines of the meeting, including from representatives of Western countries.

“Of course, we will meet with everyone,” he added.

The OSCE will hold its 30th ministerial council on Nov. 30-Dec. 1 in the North Macedonian capital Skopje.

Kaynak: