Russian delegates defiant at hostile OSCE assembly meeting

By STEPHANIE LIECHTENSTEIN
Associated Press

VIENNA, Austria (AP) — A contentious Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe parliamentary meeting has ended with a denouncement of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine — as Russian delegates accused the West of preventing dialogue by supplying weapons to Ukraine. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Vienna-based OSCE brought together lawmakers from 57 member countries including Russia to discuss security and human rights issues at its annual winter gathering, which coincided with the anniversary of the Russian invasion. Ukraine and Lithuania boycotted the meeting due to the presence of six Russian delegates, who were given visas by Austria despite being under sanctions from the European Union and the United States.