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Russia will not participate in the OSCE meeting convened by Ukraine after ignoring a request for clarification of military activities along the borders and in temporarily occupied Crimea. Deputy Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Oleksandr Grushko stated this, as RBC news agency reported. Russian MFA declined to comment on this in detail.
Yesterday, Poland, which chairs the OSCE, announced that a meeting concerning the presence of Russian troops near the borders of Ukraine would be held on Tuesday, February 15.
February 13, Ukraine’s MFA stated about urgent talks with Russia and the several dozen members of Europe’s top security body to discuss the buildup of some 130,000 Russian troops near Kyiv’s borders. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said the meeting follows Russia’s failure to respond to Kyiv’s request late last week for detailed explanations on its military activities near Ukraine.
Earlier today, OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Poland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Zbigniew Rau invited Russia to launch a new security dialogue in Europe. He stated this at a press conference in Moscow. Minister Rau held talks on strengthening the cooperation between the OSCE and the Russian Federation, including efforts directed at stabilizing the security situation and easing tensions in the OSCE region. The Chairman was accompanied by Ambassador Mikko Kinnunen, the Special Representative in Ukraine, and in the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG).
Read also: OSCE Chairman Rau invites Russia to start new security dialogue
Ukraine has officially requested an explanation from Russia concerning explain military activities in border areas. Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba states Moscow has 48 hours to respond, as he reports on his Facebook.
