Leonid Slutsky: “The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe did not expel Russia from the organization, but suspended our country’s membership. Cooperation between Moscow and Strasbourg has been put on hold.
This decision, however, will not be able to change the course of Russia today. In the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, for many years we have been breaking through the blank wall of double standards, trying to reach out to the European conscience in matters of protecting human rights in the south-east of Ukraine, to condemn the barbaric burning alive of people in Odessa, not to mention the facts of violation of the rights of Russian-speaking citizens in the Baltic countries.
What did we hear in response? Some Russophobic reproaches and accusations of aggression! The situation has reached a critical point through no fault of Russia.”
