MOSCOW, December 20. /TASS/. The issue of Russia's withdrawal from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) is not under consideration, but the platform's ongoing relevance for member states is being questioned, Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said in an interview with kp.ru.
"Despite all the disadvantages of the OSCE, it remains the only regional platform for multilateral diplomacy with a unique geographical reach that has been established over decades," he said. "The question is not about Russia's withdrawal from the OSCE, but rather about its continued significance to the participating states."
At the same time, the senior diplomat noted that Russia will not allow Western countries to subordinate the OSCE to their "narrow interests" or turn it into a tool for implementing the so-called "rules-based order," regardless of all their attempts.
Grushko also emphasized that the organization might lose its relevance for member states if a solution to its internal crises is not found. "If the crisis in its functioning is not addressed, it will ultimately be sidelined from political processes," he concluded.