The Council of Europe

On Friday 25th February, the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers suspended Russia’s rights of representation in the Council in line with Article 8 of the organization’s Statute. This means that Russia has been barred from taking part in the Council’s Committee of Ministers and its Parliamentary Assembly (PACE).

The Council of Europe's newsroom

The Committee of Ministers, PACE and the Secretary General are united in their condemnation of Russia’s armed attack on Ukraine. The parliamentary assembly was consulted in advance of the decision to suspend Russia in a meeting of the Joint Committee (which comprises the member states’ ambassadors to the Council of Europe and the heads of the national delegations to PACE). PACE has decided to convene an extraordinary session in Strasbourg on 14th and 15th March.

Read the statement from the PACE President, Tony Kox, on 24th February.

Read the statement from the Council of Europe's Secretary General, Marija Pejčinović Burić, on 24th February

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)

The Storting’s delegation to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) took part in the organization’s Winter Meeting in Vienna on 24th and 25th February. The two days of meetings were dominated by responses to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, but the planned committee meetings also took place. There was close collaboration and coordination with the OSCE, the parliamentary assembly’s parent body.

Exchanges were unusually strong. The OSCE PA was united in its condemnation of Russia’s invasion and in its support for Ukraine.

The Winter Meeting took place in a hybrid format. Two Norwegian MPs were in Vienna in person, while the rest of the delegation took part digitally.

Read the OSCE PA's article about the Winter Meeting

The Nordic Council

The Presidium of the Nordic Council condemns the invasion of Ukraine

Read the Finnish President of the Nordic Council's statement, issued on 24 February

The Arctic

March 8 the Standing Committee of Parliamentarians of the Arctic Region decided to put a pause to their immediate plans for now because of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine

Joint Statement on Arctic Council Cooperation following Russia's Invasion of Ukraine

The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU)

Read the statement on Ukraine by the IPU Executive Committee, issued on 26 February

The NATO Parliamentary Assembly (NATO PA)

Read the statement issued by the President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly on 24 February

The Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference (BSPC)

Read the Declaration 12th and 22nd March 2022 by Heads of BSPC Delegations on the War in Ukraine and its consequences for the BSPC Work

The BSPC cancelled its meeting of the Standing Committee on 28th February.

Read the statement by the BSPC's Swedish President and German Vice-President.

The EU’s Interparliamentary Conference for the Common Foreign and Security Policy and the Common Security and Defence Policy

The agenda for the conference in Paris on 24th and 25th February was changed so that the conference in its entirety dealt with the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the EU’s response to the crisis. Ukraine’s ambassador to France took part in the meeting and briefed those present about the situation. The Belarus opposition politician Svjatlana Tsikhanowskaja was also among those who attended. Christian Tybring-Gjedde (Progress Party) took part as an observer from the Storting.

The conference was fully united in its condemnation of Russia and its support for Ukraine. Many called for tougher sanctions and a stronger response from the EU. This was echoed in a resolution which was unanimously adopted at the conference. In his speech, Mr Tybring-Gjedde gave his full backing for the resolution and said that Norway supported the EU’s sanctions.

Read more about the conference

EFTA

EFTA condemns the illegal invasion of Ukraine and stands united with its partner