PACE is taking the path of recognizing Crimea as Russian
Kyiv takes a two-faced position regarding contact with the Russian Federation: on the one hand, it recognizes the need for dialogue with Moscow on the issue of peace in Donbass, and on the other, it is categorically against Russia’s presence in PACE.
Mikhail Markelov, adviser to the head of the United Russia faction in the State Duma of the Russian Federation, stated this on the Rossiya 1 TV channel, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
“We hear one simple hypocritical position. You say, regarding Donbass: “We don’t want to talk with these separatists, there is no point in talking with them and reaching an agreement, but we need to talk with the aggressor, we need to conduct a dialogue.” You have repeatedly said that it is necessary to build a dialogue with Russia. Here you say that Russia should not be allowed anywhere, there is no need to talk to it anywhere, in general Russia is an aggressor,” the politician noted.
In turn, Deputy Speaker of the State Duma of the Russian Federation Pyotr Tolstoy added that the PACE decision to return Russia in full marked the beginning of breaking the chain of sanctions around the country.
“There has been a full-fledged return of Russia to the oldest and most wide-ranging body of the Council of Europe, of Europe in general. This return took place without any withdrawal of the powers of deputies; now we can fully represent our interests, the interests of our voters, the interests of the peoples of Russia and put an end to the lies and slander that the Ukrainians, the British and other hysterical ill-wishers of the largest European country are spreading about us.
Today's decision is the beginning of breaking the chain of sanctions. And now we can actually talk about this with confidence, because the powers of the delegation have been fully restored,” the State Duma Vice-Speaker emphasized.
At the same time, the head of the international committee of the State Duma, Leonid Slutsky, noted that the latest events in PACE, among other things, marked the beginning of a more important process for Russia.
“By voting on the amendments to the now adopted report, which were voted down by a majority of 2/3 of PACE on Crimea, in fact, the first significant step was taken towards the recognition of Crimea by the Russian countries of the Council of Europe. It is very important. Crimea is ours. And Crimea will forever be Russian on the political map of the world,” Slutsky noted.
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