The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) restored the Russian delegation’s power to vote and participate in assemblies in spite of challenges from Ukraine, Russia’s crackdown on civil society and its breaches of international law.
In a 109-37 vote, with 24 abstentions, PACE expressed concerns about Russia “exacerbating negative tendencies with regard to democracy, the rule of law and human rights” but decided against new sanctions on the Russian delegation because of PACE’s “commitment to dialogue,” according to the provisional version of the resolution.
“Russia was given another chance… Europe doesn’t want to isolate Russia because a caged beast becomes too mad and insatiable,” said Maria Mezentseva, the head of Ukraine’s delegation at PACE.
The United Kingdom, Sweden, Estonia, Slovakia, Poland and some other countries have supported Ukraine’s push to strip the Russian delegation of its PACE credentials, Mezensteva added.
The Assembly called on Russia to fulfill PACE’s recommendations, which include an end to the occupation of Crimea and Donbas and the release of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny and his supporters, who were detained en masse before and after Navalny’s return to Russia.
PACE stated that its decision to ratify Russian delegation’s credentials does not mean the Assembly even implicitly recognizes Russia’s annexation of the Crimean peninsula in 2014.
The Russian delegation was first stripped of some of its credentials in 2014.
Following Russia’s aggression in Crimea, PACE suspended the delegation’s rights to vote and participate in election observation missions. It also excluded the delegation from the Council’s leading bodies, such as the Bureau of the Assembly, the Presidential Committee and the Standing Committee.
In protest, Russia stopped taking part in parliamentary assemblies starting Jan. 2015. Two years later it ended its financial contributions to PACE.
In June 2019, the Assembly voted to reinstate Russia’s voting rights.
It also outlawed the suspension of any delegation’s voting and participation rights, making it nearly impossible to sanction Russia in the future.
Ukraine strongly criticized PACE’s move, which was seen as a concession to Russia despite its growing hostility in the region.
The delegations of France and Germany advocated for continuous dialogue with Russia, particularly through the Parliamentary Assembly.
Ukraine, The United Kingdom, Poland, Sweden, and the Baltic countries strongly opposed Russia’s return to PACE since Russia has not adhered to any resolutions passed in the Assembly.
(c) KyivPost
‘The United Kingdom, Sweden, Estonia, Slovakia, Poland and some other countries have supported Ukraine’s push to strip the Russian delegation of its PACE credentials, Mezensteva added.’
And there you have it : Ukraine’s only friends in Europe.
Europe has not changed since the 1930’s. Integrity-free countries run by integrity-free politicians.
The Frogs and Krauts have certainly shown they hate Ukraine. Time for Ukraine to ditch these assholes, then invite the UK and US to negotiations with Russia,
Yes indeed F1. The Ukrainians were comprehensively tricked by Russian lackeys France and Germany, whose leaders are incredibly consistent over the decades : they are all utter scum. The recent ones spat in the faces of those decent Ukrainians who named their revolt Euromaidan and held the euro flag aloft during those long cold nights. Even those of us who have sympathy for Ukraine suffering had no idea at the time of what filthy treacherous bastards they are.
And of course their hateful attitude to Britain reminds us that we are natural allies with Ukraine, Georgia and the others who voted with the above listed countries. It would be most useful to know which ones were not named.
This is amazing. Not only did they not get more sanctions that they deserve but they got more privileges to boot.
It is as if a criminal burns down City Hall and then the City Council says, “Wow! Maybe you should be Mayor!”
Stefan Schennach’s resolution allowing Russian delegation’s work saw support of 107 deputies, with 36 against and 24 abstained.
This Stennach is an Austrian, surprise, surprise and a member of the board of the Austrian-Russian friendship group since 2001.
I see the Austrians didn’t change much since 1938…
Must be a coincidence that scum like Firtash hide in Austria when their criminality catches up with them, but hey, PACE is all for fighting corruption.
UK 3-3 and 1 abstained, I don’t know how much support that is? Ukraine has 1 traitor, Dmytro Lubinets.
All Norwegians voted for Russia. 😒
I saw that 🙁
Shameful. I guess they’re afraid to get their panties all up in a knot if they criticize the nut with nukes to the east.
The article clearly names the countries who voted in favour of Ukraine. Some others were not named and we will find out who else are supporters of Ukraine. The UK is far and away the biggest financial, military and political supporter of Ukraine in Europe. Unless of course you know better?
If any representatives of the UK that abstained or supported Russia are not from Labour or the Lib Dems I would be amazed.
I only saw from UK that 3 voted for, 3 voted against and it was 2 that abstained, I don’t take that for being a strong vote for Ukraine 🙂
So please go ahead and name the countries in Europe that have provided more actual support for Ukraine than Britain since 2014?
It was no clear support from the people that voted! It has nothing to do with what each country has supported Ukraine with!
How did my danes vote?
According to the list, no Danes showed up to vote LMAO
They were smoking joints outside in their cars and listening to Deep Purple. 😉
“Wow man, who’s Vladeemir?”
You better be amazed then. Two of the 8 are Conservatives, both abstained. In fact one Labour guy voted against Russia.
Angry as well. An abstention is just the same as a vote for putlerstan.
Yeah, no difference at all. These MEP’s obviously have their own agenda. They don’t seem to follow any party line.
“In a 109-37 vote, with 24 abstentions, PACE expressed concerns about Russia “exacerbating negative tendencies with regard to democracy, the rule of law and human rights” but decided against new sanctions on the Russian delegation because of PACE’s “commitment to dialogue,” according to the provisional version of the resolution.”
Totally expected from this corrupt organisation. 7 years of dialogue have resulted in what exactly? What will PACE do when Russia laugh in their face, and tell them to GFY? That’s right, be concerned, take the rubles and bend over. The above mentioned countries Ukraine, The United Kingdom, Poland, Sweden, and the Baltic countries) should pull out of PACE until Muscovy are ejected, their combined donations to this fake organisation would amount to far more than the terrorist state donates.
Hear hear…
Is their a precise list of each country’s behavior? ‘and some other countries’ is not very informative.
Do we need a list, we can almost recite the bastards who voted against Ukraine?
I was thinking of the 27 in favor, LMAO!
I just posted a list.
Named and shamed! The full list of Ukrainian haters, and Putin appeasers is found here.
https://pace.coe.int/en/votes/38423
Page won’t load. Never mind.
I’m ashamed to say that some UK members voted against Ukraine, or abstained, which is even worse. Scradge might know more about these bastards than me.
Lady Diana ECCLES – Abstain
Lord George FOULKES – In favour
Mr John HOWELL – Against, good guy.
Mr Martin VICKERS – Abstain
Mr Ian LIDDELL-GRAINGER – Against, good guy.
Lord Leslie GRIFFITHS – In favour.
Mr Tony LLOYD – In favour
Baroness Doreen MASSEY – Against, Good guy
Unfortunately I have never heard of any of them!
Most are asleep in the House of Lords.
Yeah. Arseholes claim £360/day in expenses for doing fuck all. The only one in there that I like is Ian Botham!
I doubt Botham would even bother to turn up to collect his 360 a day.
He’s got some sound views:
‘Lord Botham accused the BBC of thinking it was “too big to reform” as he pointed to the EU as “another unaccountable institution that Britain got fed up with”. The pro-Brexit former England cricketer warned Brussels “made the mistake of thinking that we would always grin and bear it”
Lord Botham added: “How wrong they were.”
He likes all the things I like: cricket, football, wine, pies, country walks, protecting the countryside and shagging.
Not forgetting the odd joint or two.
Aussie interviewer:
‘Beefy, what do you think about artificial grass?’
Botham: ‘I don’t know, I’ve never smoked it’!
Never wrong to have a joint. Way healthier than all the pharmatheutical crap doctors keep pushing on people. Just relax and enjoy. 😇
Ukraine certainly found their real friends. I find it hard to believe, but all the Poles abstained, with one even voting for Russia.
It was said before and it must be said again; this organization is a useful as dick cancer. I simply cannot evaluate this group’s purpose.
Does Ukraine need anymore reasons to exit this group of pitiful oxygen thieves? Of course, this doesn’t include the few righteous nations that were on Ukraine’s side. I hope that Ukraine will now give up its membership. It is useless to be present and it is a waste of money.