The consequences of the Russian Federation's aggression against Ukraine will be the focus of an extraordinary plenary session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), to be held in hybrid mode on Monday 14 and Tuesday 15 March 2022. The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, will address the Assembly via video-conference.
The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe has decided to consult the Parliamentary Assembly on potential further measures to be taken, after suspending the Russian Federation's rights of representation under Article 8 of the Organisation's Statute (*) on 25 February in response to "serious violations" of its statutory obligations as a member state.
At the end of the extraordinary plenary session, PACE will adopt an Opinion which will be addressed to the Committee of Ministers. The majority required for the adoption of this text is set by the PACE Rules of Procedure at a two-thirds majority of the votes cast.
The session will also include exchanges of view with Benedetto della Vedova, Under-Secretary of State at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, in the framework of the Italian Presidency of the Committee of Ministers, as well as with the Secretary General of the Organisation, Marija Pejčinović Burić.
(*) Article 8: Any member of the Council of Europe which has seriously violated Article 3 may be suspended from its right of representation and requested by the Committee of Ministers to withdraw under Article 7. If such member does not comply with this request, the Committee may decide that it has ceased to be a member of the Council from such date as the Committee may determine.
