The Kremlin announces Russia’s withdrawal from Council of Europe

Russia has said it is no longer going to be a member of the Council of Europe

As reported by Russia's TASS, the statement was made on March 10 by the Russian Foreign Ministry.

The agency accused EU and NATO countries of allegedly abusing their majority and "continuing the line to destroy the Council of Europe and the common humanitarian and legal space in Europe."

"Russia will not take part in NATO and the EU, which obediently imitate them, transforming the oldest European organization into another platform for stories about the supremacy of the West and self-admiration. Let them enjoy communicating with each other without Russia," said the Russian Foreign Ministry.

Russian mass media note that a moratorium on the death penalty has been introduced with Russia's participation in the Council of Europe.

To recap, due to the war between Russia and Ukraine, the Council of Europe suspended Russia's membership in two bodies: the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE).

Members of the Bureau of the Venice Commission, the Council of Europe's advisory body on constitutional law, also initiated the termination of Russia's right to be represented on the commission.

An extraordinary plenary session of the PACE has been announced for March 14-15. The main topic of the agenda will be the consequences of the aggression of the Russian Federation.

Russia remains legally a member of the Council of Europe and a party to the relevant conventions, which retains Russia's obligations, including under the European Convention on Human Rights. It also means Russia's commitment to comply with the ECtHR's rulings.