President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe Pedro Agramunt urged the Assembly to take the decisions necessary to return the Russian delegation to the plenary hall. 112 Ukraine TV Channel reports this.
He urged the leaders of the political groups to hold consultations in their groups on this issue.
"No one benefits from the situation when Russia is not in the Assembly, neither Russia nor the Assembly, or anyone of the other 46 countries", Agramunt said at the opening session of the PACE.
He stated that his desire to restore relations with the Russian Federation is opposed by the "separate group".
"We have to move forward. The exclusion of anyone from our discussions does not help to progress", PACE President said, noting that he will work on the return of Russian delegation in the near future.
Russia says they are ready to return to the PACE, if their demands are met.
"PACE President Agramunt officially urged Russia to return to the PACE. Here’s our condition: Equal participation, no sanctions to our delegation", wrote the Senator, ex-chairman of the State Duma International Affairs Committee Alexei Pushkov on Twitter.
A permanent representative of Ukraine in the PACE Dmitry Kuleba warns against underestimating the "treachery of Russia and its allies".
"Will the PACE save itself as a powerful European institution or with Russia’s return it will change its procedure and the basis of its operation, which will eventually turn it into a talking shop. The situation is tough for the Russian delegation, one should not underestimate treachery of Russia and its allies", said Kuleba.
