Russia's participation in OSCE PA meetings contradicts international, human principles – Stefanchuk
An official winter meeting of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly with the participation of the Russian delegation contradicts both the principles of the OSCE and common sense, Verkhovna Rada Chairman Ruslan Stefanchuk has said.
"A ball with the participation of Russian deputies on the anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine is unacceptable! The official winter meeting of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, where the delegations of Russia and Ukraine will be at the same table, is unacceptable. This does not meet either the principles of the OSCE or common sense," he said at a meeting with President of the Austrian National Council Wolfgang Sobotka.
Stefanchuk urged Sobotka to convey to the organizers that "the ball on this day is inappropriate, and the participation of the murderers of the Ukrainian people in it is unacceptable."
"Ukraine has called and calls for the international isolation of Russia and the expulsion of Russia from all international organizations. The world hears and listens to Ukraine. However, Russia's participation in OSCE PA meetings, and especially in these terrible days for Ukraine, contradicts both international and all human principles," he said.
As reported, Stefanchuk called on President of the OSCE PA Margareta Soderfelt to convene an extraordinary meeting of the Bureau of the Assembly and postpone the winter meeting due to the likely presence of the Russian delegation. However, as is known, the meeting of the OSCE PA will be held in Vienna on February 23-24.