Since the founding of the Council of Europe (CoE), it has achieved outstanding results in defending democratic ideals and principles, and Ukraine, which is a member, has been active in joining the formation of a common European legal space. However, the organization is in crisis as it approaches its 70th anniversary because of Russia, Ukraine's Foreign Ministry has said in a statement.

"May 5 marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Council of Europe - a pan-European international organization that now protects the rights and freedoms of almost 800 million people in 47 member states. The Charter of the Council of Europe, signed in London on May 5, 1949, fixed the commitment of states for years to come members of the organization are the basis of every true democracy - personal and political freedoms and the rule of law."

"…We must sadly state that as the 70th anniversary approaches, the organization is in crisis, primarily because of Russia, its aggression against Ukraine and the direct financial blackmail of the Council of Europe in order to achieve its anti-democratic foreign policy goals," the ministry said, calling on the organization to remain to its values and principles.

"Ukraine hopes that over the decades of work and testing, the Council of Europe has gained enough strength and common sense to continue to be an example of democracy, and not to celebrate its 70th anniversary in a dilapidated compromised state because of ungrounded concessions in favor of the largest violating state of its principles and norms," the statement said.