President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed his disappointment with the PACE decision to return the Russian Federation. He reported this on his Facebook.
"I am disappointed by the decision of the PACE to reinstate the powers of the delegation of the Russian Federation without limitation. Last week I personally discussed this issue with the President of France and with the Federal Chancellor of Germany.I tried to convince Mr. Macron and Mrs. Merkel that the return of the Russian delegation to the PACE is possible only after Russia fulfills the Assembly's fundamental requirements. It is a pity that our European partners haven't heard us and acted differently. I am thankful to the Ukrainian parliamentary delegation and friendly national delegations, which courageously fought to the end", - the president noted.
"I also really want to see how the advocates of the return of the Russian delegation to the Assembly – an organization that has been defending the rule of law in Europe for 70 years – will defend and demand another return – that of captured Ukrainian sailors. I recall that today, June 25, is the deadline for the execution of the relevant order by the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea. I am looking forward to how the declared messages on the rule of law will become reality", - the head of state emphasized.
As previously reported, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe returned the Russian Federation the right to vote at meetings of the Assembly. The corresponding decision was supported by 118 eurodeputies, 62 voted against, 10 abstained. The adopted resolution changes the PACE rules and complicates the procedure for applying sanctions, in particular, against Russia.
The Ukrainian delegation decided to stop the work in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in protest against the decision.