Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is scheduled to visit Malta in December to participate in the Ministerial Council meeting of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).

Axar.az reports that according to a report by the Vedomosti Daily, citing foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova this will mark Lavrov's first trip to a European Union country since Russia mobilized tens of thousands of troops for the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

The Maltese Embassy in Russia confirmed that the OSCE Ministerial Council meeting is set to take place on the island on December 5-6, and this decision applies to all member states, including the Russian Federation.

“The OSCE delegations are regularly updated on the progress of preparations. Further practical details, including invitations, will be communicated to all OSCE delegations in due course,” the embassy stated.