"The cutting of dialogue with Russia [within PACE] is the wrongest step… I believe that the Council of Europe was created in order to be a platform for the dialogue of the representatives of the European countries. If we exclude someone from the Council, we also exclude the opportunity to continue the dialogue with them, and I consider it wrong," Szijjarto said during a meeting with First Deputy Chairman of Russia's Council of the Federation Nikolay Fedorov in Moscow.
PACE brings together 324 members of parliaments of the 47 countries that are members of the Council of Europe. In 2014, in the wake of Crimea’s reunification with Russia, the assembly adopted resolutions barring Russian lawmakers from participating in the work of the Bureau, the Presidential Committee and the Standing Committee of PACE. In 2015, the sanctions were prolonged.
Russia did not renew its credentials ahead of the Assembly’s 2016 winter session and made its return conditional on the full restoration of its delegates' voting rights. In 2017, Russia also did not seek accreditation.
