Lukashevich called those who accused Lavrov of disinformation short-sighted

Russian Permanent Representative to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Alexander Lukashevich said that those who accused Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov of misinformation at the OSCE Foreign Ministers' Council (FMC) in Malta are malicious and shallow. He told RIA Novosti on December 25.

"Yes, malicious, shallow people. People who are alien to respect for a different position, an attempt to understand it without necessarily agreeing," Lukashevich said.

He noted that this is the art of diplomacy: when there is a dialog - to listen to the position, even if it is unpleasant. Then to get the same thing in return, probably, but at the same time to look for common ground.

According to Lukashevich, no one tried to find such points. Instead, everything was reduced to confrontational rhetoric, which was expected.

"The degradation of the OSCE in all dimensions of security is taking on catastrophic proportions"

Alexander Lukashevich, Russia's Permanent Representative to the organization, on its incapacity, its role in resolving the Ukrainian crisis and difficulties in working with Western opponents

Earlier in the day, Lukashevich said that many OSCE participating States have now in practice begun to directly support the interests of the military and political blocs of the North Atlantic Alliance (NATO) and the European Union.

On 12 December, the first deputy chairman of the State Duma's international affairs committee, Aleksey Chepa, said that any attempts to talk about Ukraine's accession to the European Union (EU) and NATO were a continuation of fueling the current conflict. This is how he reacted to the OSCE's plans to prepare Kiev for joining these structures.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova pointed out that OSCE special representative for Ukraine Petr Maresh, who announced plans to prepare Kiev for membership in the EU and NATO, intended to deepen the split in Europe.

Before that, on 5 December, Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov said during his speech at the OSCE's Ministerial Council meeting in Malta that there were no spheres in which the OSCE could be useful in terms of its tasks. According to him, the organization could become a gathering point for the interests of the members of the European space, but "no one in this room will ever think of using the OSCE for these purposes." He also pointed out that the West, in particular the American side of it, has already taken the NATO alliance and the European Union under itself and this does not make anyone better off.