Russia Suspends Participation in OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Activities

Today, the State Duma and the Federation Council adopted a joint statement regarding the suspension of the participation of the Russian Federation's delegation in the activities of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE PA), as well as the cessation of payments into the organization’s budget.

Valentina Matviyenko, the Chairperson of the Federation Council, has instructed the Committee on International Affairs to send an “immediate” telegram to the OSCE PA session taking place these days in Romania.

The Russian parliamentarians described Romania's “demonstrative” refusal to grant visas to members of the Russian delegation as the “last straw” in the current situation. The Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted in its statement that “no member of the Russian Federation's delegation will be granted a visa or allowed to enter the country due to Russia's war against Ukraine.”