PACE votes to condemn Russia for escalating Ukraine conflict

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) approved a resolution on Jan. 27 condemning the Russian Federation government for escalating its military conflict with Ukraine, reported the Yevropeyska Pravda news site. The resolution earned the support of 140 out of 155 assembly members. It calls upon the Russian government to refrain from financing separatist fighters in Ukraine and destabilizing Ukraine, to halt financing and military support for illegally armed groups and to influence them to adhere to the Minsk ceasefire accords.

The resolution calls for releasing the Ukrainian soldier and MP Nadiya Savchenko and all other prisoners of war, who are being “illegally held in the Russian Federation’s prisons.” The Russian government has violated international law by dispatching “humanitarian convoys” to Ukraine, which they aren’t truly, the resolution said. It also reiterated the illegal nature of Russia’s annexation of Crimea.

Russian PACE members succeeded in removing from the resolution a reference to the Russian government financing terrorism, Yevropeyska Pravda reported. A paragraph referring to the “so-called humanitarian convoys” was significantly adjusted. The Russians tried to remove references to the illegal annexation of Crimea, which were duly rejected, the news site reported. Most of the Russian proposals gained 20 votes or less.

Russian PACE members also succeeded in lobbying the PACE monitoring committee to support the removal of key sanctions against themselves on Jan. 27, reported the Yevproyevska Pravda news site. The PACE monitoring committee voted in favor of Russian-sponsored draft resolution removing the sanctions. The Russian members renewed their right to vote at Assembly sessions, the right to participate in all leading PACE bodies and the right to vote in all the sessions of all the leading committees. The draft left three insignificant restrictions on the Russians. PACE will debate the draft resolution today and may vote on it at its Jan. 29 session, Ukrainian PACE members told reporters on Jan. 27. Yevropeyska Pravda reported that the sanctions might be lifted as part of a de facto exchange for the release of Ukrainian war prisoner Nadiya Savchenko.

Numerous Russian PACE members have used their diplomatic immunity gained by their PACE membership to avoid EU visa sanctions imposed against them, Ukrainian PACE member Iryna Herashchenko told the 5 Channel television network on Jan. 27. They include Sergei Naryshkin, the speaker of the Russian Duma, she said. “At the same time, Russia spits on diplomatic norms and won’t release Nadiya Savchenko, who has diplomatic immunity in PACE,” she said.

Zenon Zawada: PACE is not as weighty as the European Parliament, but it’s a good reflection of the sentiments and tendencies prevailing there. In essence, the resolution reflects a European consensus that the Russian government is financing the separatists in Ukraine and providing them with arms.

Although the majority still supports the Ukrainian position in its conflict with Russia, the concessions gained by the Russians on Jan. 27 reflect a worrying signal that European politicians could weaken their resolve as the conflict drags on and the Ukrainian government fails to act decisively in implementing reforms. The sanctions have failed to change the Russian position partly because many Russian politicians have avoided their consequences, as demonstrated by their travel to Europe despite visa restrictions. At this point, we believe it will be dangerous for the West to avoid intensifying pressure on the Russians. Another round of sanctions will be meaningful, even if they are imposed merely for demonstration.