“I fully recognise the Council of Europe for being the first international organisation to expel the aggressor state that completely disregards international law. At the same time, we cannot do only part of the equation. We must find a solution to the situation where even a year after the decision was made and the war of aggression continues, Russian citizens continue to work at the Council of Europe. This clearly damages the credibility of the organisation tasked with upholding and enhancing our common values, human rights, democracy and rule of law. Additionally, we cannot underestimate the security risks it entails,” Reinsalu said. He highlighted reports that the father of Igor Nebyvajev, the executive secretary of Moneyval, the anti-money laundering committee of the Council of Europe, is a general in the Russian foreign intelligence service SVR.
Reinsalu stressed that the international community must make every effort to raise the cost of the aggression until it becomes unbearable for Russia. “Consistently reducing Russia’s influence and role on the international arena contributes to this. We cannot forget that in Russia’s war, Ukraine is fighting for not only its state and freedom but also for the security of Europe and the values we cherish,” the foreign minister said.
