Russia's return to PACE without withdrawal of troops contradicts international law - Foreign Ministry

27.11.2017 15:33

Ukrinform

Russia has not complied with any resolutions adopted by international institutions in defense of the territorial integrity of Ukraine, therefore, the possible return of the Russian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) will contradict international law, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mariana Betsa has said.

"Russia has failed to comply with any resolution as part of the Council of Europe, the UN or the OSCE. There can be no compromises in the issue of complying with international law, values. Russia's return to the PACE, without correcting international legal violations, restoring the territorial integrity of Ukraine and withdrawing Russian troops, contradicts international law," she wrote on Twitter.

As reported, Secretary General of the Council of Europe Thorbjorn Jagland spoke out for Russia's return to the PACE and the lifting of sanctions against Russia over its aggression against Ukraine.

The head of the Ukrainian delegation to the PACE, MP Volodymyr Ariev, in turn, said that the return of the Russian Federation, which is lobbied by Jagland, significantly undermines the authority of the Council of Europe and reduces the force of resolutions that it adopted and that in this case the Ukrainian delegation "has nothing to do" in the PACE.

Russia was deprived of voting rights in the PACE in April 2014 after Crimean occupation and the beginning of hostilities in Donbas.

Earlier it was reported that the Council of Europe had prepared a mechanism that would help lift sanctions against Russia and returning the Russian delegation to the PACE.