Russia forms delegation to attend PACE session
The Federation Council and the State Duma of Russia formed a delegation on June 19 for possible participation in the summer session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), reports TASS news agency.
"The Council of the Duma approved the formation of the Duma delegation of the Federal Assembly in PACE or, as it is officially called, the deputation of the State Duma. It included 22 people - 11 representatives and 11 deputies. According to the inter-factional quota principle, 14 deputies were nominated from the faction Yedinaya Rossiya, three deputies from the LDPR and the Communist party, two - from the Spravedlivaya Rossiya party," - said the Chairman of the State Duma's Foreign Affairs Committee Leonid Slutsky.
At the same time, Chairman of the Federation Council Committee on International Affairs Konstantin Kosachev said that the Federation Council formed its part of the Russian delegation to PACE on Wednesday headed by the First Deputy Chair of the Federation Council Committee on Foreign Affairs, former Russian Ambassador to the United States Sergei Kislyak.
On May 17 at a meeting in Helsinki, more than 30 Foreign Ministers of the Council of Europe member States adopted a decision that opens the way for Russia's return to PACE under an emergency procedure. The Council of Europe also allowed Russia to participate in the elections of the new Secretary General.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said that Kyiv would reconsider their position to PACE, in case if Russian delegation returns to the Parliamentary Assembly.
Angela Merkel, during a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, that Russia’s PACE membership will not be restored at any cost.