Luigi Di Maio, Italian Foreign Minister and Chair of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, Tiny Kox, President of the Parliamentary Assembly, and Marija Pejčinović Burić, Secretary General of the Organisation, issued a statement, on Tuesday evening, 15 February, saying they were “extremely concerned by the high tensions around Ukraine” and “dismayed by the prospect of a major conflict on our continent and between our Member States”.
They reaffirmed their “unwavering support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders”, called on “concerned Member States to redouble their efforts to avoid further aggravation of the situation and possible armed conflict” as well as for “the immediate de-escalation of rhetoric and actions” and “the pursuit of dialogue”.
A dialogue that “must be based on the principles enshrined in the Statute of the Council of Europe and in the European Convention on Human Rights”, it stressed to Ukraine and Russia, both members of the organisation.
As a reminder, from 2014 to 2019, the Russian delegation boycotted the hemicycle of the Parliamentary Assembly after sanctions (including the suspension of its voting rights) following the annexation of Crimea.
Its return, without having subscribed to the conditions laid down, was adopted by the assembly despite the contrary votes expressed by the Ukrainian, Georgian, Baltic and British delegations, to which must be added a majority of Polish and Swedish votes.
Ukraine, on the other hand, benefits from a Council of Europe Action Plan 2018-2022 to bring its legislation, institutions and practices more in line with European standards. The Action Plan is also intended to contribute to the objectives of the Ukraine/EU Association Agreement which entered into force in 2017. (Original version in French by Véronique Leblanc)