By denouncing “a flagrant violation of the Statute of the Council of Europe” in her statement condemning Russia’s military attack on Ukraine, the Secretary General of the Council of Europe is paving the way for Russia’s suspension, or even exclusion. This would be the ultimate sanction, historically unprecedented for this pan-European organisation created in 1949, of which Ukraine (since 1995) and Russia (since 1996) are members.
The founding statute to which Marija Pejčinović...