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U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is scheduled to attend the OSCE ministerial summit in Skopje from November 30-December 1, according to North Macedonia’s Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani.
The event, which could also include Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, will feature an informal dinner where ministers can discuss issues such as aggression in Ukraine and OSCE functionality. Osmani’s comments come after Skopje lifted a ban on Russian flights to the Western Balkan country to allow the Russian delegation to attend the summit, while overall sanctions will remain in place for other flights.
Brussels closed EU airspace to Russian flights after Moscow launched its war against Ukraine in February 2022. North Macedonia aspires to join the bloc, and the decision on EU sanctions does not relate to multilateral events like the OSCE. Russian diplomat Lavrov has not confirmed his intentions to travel to Skopje, but he has indicated he would like to attend with a delegation of around 80 people.
Washington has not confirmed Blinken’s attendance at the Skopje summit, but the State Department announced his travel to Brussels for the NATO foreign ministers meeting. US Ambassador to the OSCE Michael Carpenter expressed concern over Lavrov’s participation, but emphasized the OSCE’s inclusivity and 57 member states.
