Mar 15, 2022: According to an AFP report, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal demanded the Council of Europe to expel Russia and impose a no-fly zone to protect not just his country’s security but all of Europe’s.

In a virtual address to the extraordinary plenary session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) to discuss the consequences of the Russian aggression against Ukraine, Shymhal called for a “tough response” against Russia for “starting a war in the center of Europe that can become a third world war.”

He said: “We demand a decision be approved to immediately oust Russia from the Council of Europe … We demand to close the skies over Ukraine for the sake of millions of people, for the sake of European and world security.”

“Europe chose to pacify the aggressor rather than defending democracy, rule of law. But in the last 18 days, the world has opened its eyes,” he proclaimed.

“The ones who support the unprovoked and unjustified aggression cannot stay in the single European family where human life is the highest value. Ukraine is on fire …” Shymhal said, defending Kyiv’s demands to suspend Russia’s membership from the Council of Europe.

The council’s executive body, the committee of ministers, had suspended Russia from all its rights of representation a day after the invasion — but an expulsion would be unprecedented.

An expulsion would mean that Russians no longer have recourse to the European Court of Human Rights, which is part of the COE.

No member state has ever been expelled from the council, which was created in 1949. Both Russia and Ukraine are members.

The assembly is expected on Tuesday to adopt a resolution recommending that the committee “invite” Russia to withdraw from the body.

During the two days of the extraordinary plenary, the 47-members of the Council’s committee of ministers will examine whether Article 8 of the statute should be further applied to Russia which could lead to its exclusion from the Council of Europe.

Stay tuned to BaaghiTV for latest news and Updates!