PACE declared Russia a terrorist regime

Today, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) unanimously adopted a resolution on further escalation in the Russian Federation’s aggression against Ukraine, to which the motion to amend of the Estonian delegation to declare the Russian Federation a terrorist regime was added. In the opinion of the head of the Estonian delegation Eerik-Niiles Kross, this is a sign of significant change in Europe’s attitude.

Members of the Estonian delegation Indrek Saar and Maria Jufereva-Skuratovski took the floor at the discussion of the report.

Saar said in his speech that the biggest surprise for Putin, besides the bravery of the Ukrainian people, was European solidarity. “We must keep it up if we want our valued rules-based world order to prevail, and we must not let ourselves be led into traps. One of these has already been set up – immediate ceasefire at any price. That is the road to hell which is paved with good intentions. Peace can only come on the terms of the Ukrainian people,” he said. 

In her speech, Jufereva-Skuratovski called on making a distinction between Russia’s terrorist regime and the Russian citizens who are condemning Putin’s regime and actively oppose it. “I also see a need to express support to the political prisoners who have been jailed for their views and activities. Vladimir Kara-Murza, who was awarded the Václav Havel Human Rights Prize, can serve as a great example of someone fighting for a free Russia. We need to keep people like him in our field of vision and not push them away,” she said.

Today morning, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy also delivered a video address to the PACE Autumn plenary session.

At its yesterday’s sitting, the Assembly adopted the report on the situation of democracy in Hungary, where Eerik-Niiles Kross was one of the co-rapporteurs. The report invites the Assembly to closely follow the developments with regard to the functioning of democratic institutions and the rule of law in Hungary.

Member of the Estonian delegation Urmas Reitelmann also participates in the work of the PACE Autumn Session in Strasbourg, France.

Source: Parliament of Estonia