The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine considers the Resolution «Strengthening the decision-making process concerning credentials and voting» approved by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) as an unacceptable concession to the Russian Federation, who has been carrying out an armed aggression against Ukraine since 2014 in gross violation of the norms and principles of international law, including the Statute of the Council of Europe.

Significant weakening of the PACE sanction mechanism, as provided by the adopted resolution, took place without any constructive steps by the Russian Federation, as well as against the background of non-compliance by Russia with its commitments and with PACE resolutions adopted in the response to the Russian aggression.

What has happened today in the PACE was the evidence of the withdrawal from the declared standards, principles and values of the Council of Europe as a result of unprecedented pressure and financial blackmail by the Russian Federation. Unfortunately, this occurred due to the overt appeasement by some countries’ leaders, who on the one hand, emphasize the need to put an end to the Russian aggression against Ukraine, and on the other hand - encourage the aggressor by making concessions.

By depriving itself of the possibility to apply the most effective sanctions, the Assembly has considerably weakened its role in a modern European politics, and thus the ability to effectively protect the rule of law, human rights and democracy in all member states of the Council of Europe, including in the Russian Federation.

We regret to note today, as the Council of Europe celebrates its 70th anniversary, that its Parliamentary Assembly has lost its credibility, and can no longer play the role, entrusted to this Organization by its founders.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine has consistently opposed such a scenario, and this position remains unchanged.

Despite the fact that today we have witnessed the defeat of the European parliamentarism, the moral victory rests with the countries, which did not support the destructive decisions in the Council of Europe. These were the countries, which in their recent history either have been occupied by the USSR, or continue to suffer from the Russian occupation authorities, who carry on an aggression and kill their citizens. These very countries deserve to be considered as true defenders of the values of that Europe, to which Ukraine belongs.