European security org faces existential crisis at meeting

By VANESSA GERA
Associated Press

LODZ, Poland (AP) — A security organization born in the Cold War to maintain peace in Europe has ended a high-level meeting without a final resolution. The outcome on Friday underlined the existential crisis the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe is facing amid Russia’s war against Ukraine. The Vienna-based OSCE is made up of 57 members, including the United States, Canada, Russia and Ukraine. One member launching a war against another has created hurdles for the group, which makes decisions by consensus. Running through the meeting of foreign ministers and other representatives was the question of how the OSCE can continue to function without agreement from Russia and its ally Belarus, which say they’ve been unfairly isolated.