On Thursday, Russian representatives participated in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in Vienna. Lithuanian representatives boycotted the session, while Latvians expressed their protest during the meeting.
Rihards Kols, a member of the Latvian delegation and head of the Saeima’s Foreign Affairs Committee, addressed the Russian representatives and quoted the defenders of the Ukrainian Snake Island, who refused to surrender to Russian demands.
“I will convey a message to the Russian delegation sitting in this room and I will quote the Ukrainian border guards: Russian warship, go fuck yourself,” Kols said.
As a Russian MP began his speech, representatives of a group of European countries stood up and left the meeting room.
Austria issued visas to 18 Russian MPs, including Duma Speaker Pyotr Tolstoy despite the EU sanctions. A group of EU countries and over 100 Austrian intellectuals protested Vienna’s decision.
“Austria is behaving as if the world stopped on February 24, 2022. Our security stance has become a laughing stock,” reads an open letter signed by Austrian cultural representatives.
The Russian politicians were warmly welcomed in Vienna by Austria’s far-right Freedom Party, which invited the Russians to attend a banquet on February 24, the anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Lithuanian representatives boycotted the winter session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly over Russia’s participation.
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