Member states of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) are divided over Thursday’s ministerial meeting, with the Baltic states, Poland and Ukraine refusing to attend due to the presence of Russian Sergei Lavrov, Reuters and AFP reported.

Polish Foreign Minister Szymon Szynkowski vel Sek told the media that he would not attend the meeting, which begins on Thursday, and that he would not send a deputy minister.

“We cannot ignore the fact that the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia will be present at the table of the Organization, which is supposed to build peace and security in Europe,” the head of Polish diplomacy emphasized.

Describing Lavrov’s presence at this forum as “unacceptable”, Szynkowski vel Sek added that Poland shares the point of view of the Baltic countries, which previously announced a boycott of the OSCE meeting due to Lavrov’s presence.

The foreign ministers of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania “decided not to participate” in the meeting, believing that Lavrov’s participation “risks legitimizing the aggressor, which is Russia, as a full member of our community of free nations,” the joint statement said.

“Mr. Lavrov’s place is in a special court, not at the OSCE table,” Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsakhna said.

“How can you talk to an aggressor who commits genocide, total aggression against another state — Ukraine?” In May, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia was in Brussels, where he participated in the NATO meeting.

Ukraine, which was invaded by Russian troops, also announced it would boycott the meeting.

How Josep Borel defends Lavrov’s participation

The US and its allies seek to preserve the OSCE and hold Russia accountable for its invasion of Ukraine. They participate by condemning Moscow’s actions.

But US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken will take part in the talks to try to attract Ukraine’s support, AFP reports. But Reuters reports that US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken will take part in meetings with his counterpart in North Macedonia and elsewhere only on Wednesday, before heading to the official start of this Council of Ministers on Thursday.

In 2022, Poland hosted the OSCE meeting and did not admit Lavrov, which provoked protests from Moscow.

European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said he understood the concern over Lavrov’s participation in the meeting in Skopje, North Macedonia. But he said it was a chance for Lavrov to hear widespread condemnation of Russia’s war in Ukraine.

“Your decision to allow Lavrov to attend is in line with our shared goal of preserving multilateralism,” Borrell told North Macedonian Prime Minister Dimitar Kovačevski at a joint news conference in Skopje.

“Lavrov needs to hear from everyone again why Russia is condemned and isolated,” Borrell said. “Then he will be able to return to the Kremlin and report to the master of the Kremlin.”

Estonia was supposed to take over the chairmanship of the OSCE based on the principle of annual rotation, but Russia blocked it for months. A last-minute deal for neutral Malta to take over the presidency is to be formally approved at a meeting on Thursday and Friday.

The OSCE issue reflects broader diplomatic issues regarding Ukraine. While only Belarus regularly joins Russia at OSCE meetings, this week’s absence raises concerns that Western commitment to Ukraine is wavering.

The United States has sought to placate members unhappy with Russia’s presence, arguing that the OSCE is the right place to hold Moscow accountable.