Autumn Session of PACE Begins in Strasbourg with Debates on Ukraine

The autumn session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) is commencing in Strasbourg today, featuring urgent debates on achieving a just peace in Ukraine.

This is outlined in PACE's agenda.

Additionally, discussions will revolve around the Ukrainian children taken to Russia and the presentation of the Vaclav Havel Human Rights Prize.

Among the finalists for the Havel Prize in 2023 are Justyna Wydrzynska, a Polish lawyer, Osman Kaval, a Turkish civil activist, and Ukrainian human rights defender Yevhen Zakharov.

The laureate of the 2023 Havel Prize will be announced today at the opening of the PACE session.

During the session, there will be urgent procedural debates on the topic of "Ensuring a Just Peace in Ukraine and Lasting Security in Europe."

Among other debate requests are "The Humanitarian Situation in Nagorno-Karabakh" and "Migrant Deaths at Sea." Furthermore, discussions and the adoption of a resolution on "Examining the Legitimacy and Legality of Lifting Term Limits for the Current President of the Russian Federation" will take place.

Following the debates, parliamentarians will adopt a resolution on "The Role of the Council of Europe in Conflict Prevention, Restoring Trust in International Institutions, and Promoting Global Peace."

Within the framework of the parliamentary assembly, there will be a Ukrainian-Latvian event dedicated to the deportation of Ukrainian children by Russia and the erasure of their national identity.

Parliamentarians will exchange views on the main items on the agenda with European Commissioner for Justice, Didier Reynders, while Krišjānis Kariņš, the Chair of the Committee of Ministers and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia, will report on the work of this executive body of the Council of Europe and Council of Europe Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić will hold question time with members. 

The autumn plenary session of PACE will conclude on October 13.

As previously reported, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy presented the "Ukrainian formula for peace" during his speech at the G20 summit in Bali. The formula outlines a practical plan to resolve the conflict with Russia and consists of ten specific points.

Each point in Zelenskyy's plan is clearly defined, encompassing issues such as radiation and nuclear security, food and energy security, preventing ecocide, the release of all detainees and deportees, adherence to the UN Charter, restoring Ukraine's territorial integrity and the global order, withdrawal of Russian occupation forces from Ukraine, cessation of hostilities, and preventing escalation, with verification of the end of the war.