War in Ukraine: Latest news
Secretary General condemns Russia's attacks on hospitals and infrastructure in Ukraine, with repercussions in Moldova
“I condemn yet again Russia’s brutal attacks against hospitals (including a maternity ward), civilian and energy infrastructures in Ukraine, and their repercussions in the Republic of Moldova. This senseless and inhuman violence must stop.”
Ukraine: We must help victims of sexual violence by Russian soldiers
Statement by Marija Pejčinović Burić, Council of Europe Secretary General
Good Democratic Governance in Ukraine: a High-level Dialogue in Strasbourg
What are the key achievements and current challenges of good democratic governance in Ukraine? What is the way forward in post-war period? How to ensure a smooth transition from the military administration under martial law to the civil administration? How to secure democratic environment for...
Special call for activities to support young people from Ukraine
The European Youth Foundation (EYF) has launched a special call to support young people from Ukraine. This initiative responds to current needs identified by the Ukrainian authorities and stakeholders in the youth field. Youth organisations in Ukraine or youth organisations working with young...
PACE President: “There should be no impunity, neither for the Russian President and Government, nor for the Parliament”
“The State Duma and Federation Council have given full support to the war of aggression against Ukraine and validated the recent illegal attempted annexations, after they acted in a similar way in 2014. Together with the Russian President and the Russian Government, the Russian Parliament...
"We are defending not only Ukraine, but also European democratic values," Kyiv Mayor Klitschko and Minister Chernyshov tell Congress
The Mayor of Kyiv, Vitali Klitschko, and the Ukrainian Minister for Community and Territorial Development, Oleksiy Chernyshov have taken part (online) in a Congress debate on Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. The debate followed the Congress' statements deploring the loss of life and...
Russia’s so-called referendums in Ukraine ‘null and void’, says PACE
PACE has strongly condemned the attempted annexation of Ukrainian regions by Russia, describing the so-called referendums in these regions as “an affront to international law” and “null and void, with no legal or political effects”. The Assembly was debating a report by Emanuelis Zingeris...
Volodymyr Zelenskyy tells PACE: ‘Never yet in history was united Europe as strong as it is today’
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has told the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) that dialogue between Europeans has had historically important results. “We see actions that have made Europe unprecedentedly stronger. Never yet in history was united Europe as strong as it is...
Council of Europe leaders condemn Russian air strikes against towns and cities in Ukraine
Ireland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Chair of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers, Simon Coveney, the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Tiny Kox, and the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Marija Pejčinović Burić, have made the following...
Council of Europe leaders condemn the illegal annexation of occupied territories of Ukraine
Ireland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Chair of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers, Simon Coveney, the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Tiny Kox, and the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Marija Pejčinović Burić, have made the following...
War in Ukraine, Covid-19 and climate change key challenges for national minorities
National minorities in Europe faced multiple threats during the past two years, says a new report from the Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities. Russia’s aggression against Ukraine caused a humanitarian catastrophe, including for national...
Council of Europe Secretary General rejects so-called ‘referenda’ in occupied Ukrainian territories
The Secretary General of the 46-nation Council of Europe, Marija Pejčinović Burić, has today made the following statement: “The announced so-called ‘referenda’ in Ukrainian territories that are occupied by Russian forces is a further escalation of the conflict and the ongoing violation of...
No impunity for Russia’s crimes against Ukraine
The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe has adopted a decision today in which it stresses the urgent need to ensure a comprehensive system of accountability for serious violations of international law arising out of the Russian aggression against Ukraine to avoid impunity and to...
Secretary General: Millions of Russians no longer protected by the European Convention on Human Rights
Following Russia’s exclusion from the Council of Europe on 16 March 2022, as a result of its aggression against Ukraine, the Russian Federation will cease to be a High Contracting Party to the European Convention on Human Rights on 16 September 2022. “Russia’s aggression against Ukraine continues...
Secretary General meets First Lady of Ukraine
Council of Europe Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić met in Strasbourg with the First Lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska. They discussed the situation in Ukraine and the support the Council of Europe is providing.
Three candidates shortlisted for the 2022 Václav Havel Prize
The selection panel of the Václav Havel Human Rights Prize, which rewards outstanding civil society action in defence of human rights in Europe and beyond, has announced the shortlist for the 2022 Award. Meeting in Prague the panel, made up of independent figures from the world of human rights...
Congress President condemns the continuing abduction of Ukrainian local elected representatives
In light of the continuing abductions of Ukrainian local elected representatives, the President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, Leendert Verbeek, endorsing the statement made by Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatović on the...
Congress President warns of fictitious Russian "referendums" in Ukrainian territories
Against the background of mounting indications of possible "pseudo-referendums" in Ukrainian territories currently occupied by Russia, the President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, Leendert Verbeek, has urged the Russian authorities to refrain from such...
PACE President marks Ukraine’s independence day: ‘Ukraine needs Europe, and Europe needs Ukraine’
PACE President Tiny Kox, in a message to mark the 31st anniversary of the independence of Ukraine, has again pledged the Council of Europe’s full support in the coming months and years, adding: “Ukraine needs Europe, and Europe needs Ukraine”. “I want to express my admiration for the courage and...
Council of Europe will continue to support Crimea and all of Ukraine, says Secretary General
The situation in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol has further deteriorated, but the Council of Europe will continue doing all it can to support the people of Crimea and of Ukraine in general, despite Russia’s brutal, illegal and ongoing aggression against the country,...