the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has launched a security dialogue in view of the Ukraine crisis. The danger of a major war in Europe is greater than it has been for decades, emphasized Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau, who is chairing the OSCE this year. “We are starting to restore trust, transparency and cooperation,” Rau said after a meeting of the 57 OSCE member countries in Vienna on Tuesday. The OSCE has already shown in the past that as a Platform for East-West Dialogue could defuse conflicts. Rau announced visits to Moscow and Kiev.
The Russian OSCE Ambassador Alexander Lukashevich considered the initiative premature and criticized the move. “We must concentrate on the negotiations with the USA and the NATO member states,” said the diplomat. The OSCE is unable to negotiate legally binding agreements.
In addition, the United States repeated its criticism of Russian behavior at the meeting. Deputy US Secretary of State Wendy Sherman criticized Moscow for having positioned more than 100,000 soldiers on the Ukrainian border without any comprehensible reason. “Neither Ukraine, nor NATO, nor the United States pose a threat to Russia.” Mutual security can only be permanently improved through de-escalation. “We call on Russia to de-escalate tension and choose diplomacy over conflict.”