Ukrainian Delegation Determined To Boycott OSCE PA Unless Russia Gets Excluded

The Ukrainian delegation will boycott the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Parliamentary Assembly (PA) until the OSCE decides to exclude Russia, Ukrainian media report.

A member of the Ukrainian delegation, Yevheniia Kravchuk, said on Friday that the OSCE PA was unable to change its rules to exclude the Russian delegation.

"Starting from today, we, the Ukrainian delegation, are boycotting work in the OSCE PA until this international organization can form its own attitude regarding the participation of Russians," Kravchuk said as quoted by Ukrainian news agency UNIAN.

The Polish Foreign Ministry has confirmed its refusal to allow Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to participate in the meeting of the OSCE Ministerial Council, which will be held in Lodz from December 1-2. Earlier, a number of media outlets reported on Lavrov's refusal to participate in the meeting of the Ministerial Council.

The Russian Foreign Ministry has said that Poland's decision to deny Lavrov participation in the meeting in Lodz is unprecedented and provocative. In addition, Russian parliamentarians were denied visas to participate in the autumn session of the OSCE PA (held in Warsaw from November 24-26).