Council of Europe

A thematic session behind closed doors at the Global Peace Summit was devoted to the implementation of paragraph 4 of the Peace Formula, which concerns the return home of Ukrainian children, civilians and prisoners of war held by Russia.

Armenia's Security Council Secretary Armen Grigoryan and Council of Europe Secretary General Marija Pejcinovic-Buric refused to speak at the Global Peace Summit in Switzerland.

Christophe de Loire, director general of the human rights group Reporters Without Borders, has died of cancer at the age of 53.

The new draft law officially establishes the status of English as one of the languages of international communication in Ukraine and defines positions where candidates are required to speak English. In addition, the document regulates the specifics of the use of English in the work of government agencies.

On June 12, the European Court of human rights will hold a session of the Grand Chamber in the case "Ukraine and the Netherlands v. Russia", concerning Russia's military actions in Ukraine since 2014, including the crash of Flight MH17 in the Donbas.

In the Uman District of Botosani, located near the border with Ukraine, 7,000 Ukrainians were fictitiously registered at the same address in order to fraudulently obtain Romanian citizenship for a fee of 50 euros per person.

Norway allocates NOK 75 billion (approximately EUR 6. 4 billion as of May 2024) to Ukraine for 2023-2027.

The Migration Commission of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe has called on European countries to extend the temporary protection granted to Ukrainian refugees or to find new ways of their legal stay, ensuring their safe presence and facilitating access to existing regulations.

Georgia's parliament overrode a presidential veto and passed a controversial law on "foreign agents" that critics say is inspired by Russia and could hinder the country's European aspirations.

The Council of Europe is being discussed as one of the options for establishing an international special tribunal to address the crime of aggression against Ukraine.

Hungary has blocked a Council of Europe resolution recognizing Zelenskyy's peace plan as the only option, arguing that it does not take into account Russia's position and that peace talks require the participation of all warring parties.

The European Commission has criticized the Eurovision Song Contest organizers for banning EU flags during the 2024 final, calling it a gift to "Europe's enemies" and demanding an explanation.

President Zelenskyy invited several other world leaders to the Global Peace Summit in Sweden. In particular, the head of state has invited the presidents of Moldova and the Czech Republic to join the conference.

Today, on May 9, Ukraine, along with all the countries of the European Union, celebrates Europe Day. The event was launched in 1985 during a meeting of the European Council in Milan.

President Zelenskyy discussed bilateral issues and the Ukrainian formula for peace with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who expressed his desire to help restore peace in Ukraine.

In a phone conversation with Dutch Prime Minister Rutte, President Zelenskyy discussed the shelling of Ukrainian cities by Russia, the Peace Summit, and additional military aid from the Netherlands worth €1 billion.

President Zelenskyy invited the Secretary General of the Council of Europe to the Peace Summit and thanked her for opening the office of the Register of Damages in Kyiv.

During 538 visits to places of detention, the Ombudsman's Office made 140 submissions on violations, including bodily injuries to prisoners, lack of proper medical care, and lack of personal space due to overcrowding.

Experts from the Kyiv Scientific Research Institute of Forensic Expertise are conducting research to determine the damage caused by Russian aggression and are working with the Council of Europe to verify the owners of destroyed housing and develop a compensation mechanism.

Since the start of the full-scale invasion, the Ministry of Education and Science, with the support of international partners, has provided 218,188 devices to Ukrainian students and teachers, most of them in Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Dnipro regions.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba welcomes the Council of Europe's decision to prepare the establishment of a Special Tribunal for the Crimes of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, as it brings the punishment for aggression against Ukraine closer to inevitability.

In April, Ukraine did not suspend human rights protection, but partially lifted the restrictions that had been applied earlier, according to the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights.

In April 2024, Ukraine did not suspend the protection of rights, but withdrew reservations on the restriction of a certain set of rights, clarifying existing restrictions and reducing them, within the framework of its international obligations.

During martial law, Ukraine's military leadership has the right to restrict citizens' freedom of movement, inspect belongings, and compulsorily seize private or communal property for state needs under martial law, according to an updated list of rights and freedoms.

The Ministry of Culture and Information Policy hosted a constituent meeting of the Coordinating Committee for the implementation in Ukraine of the Council of Europe's "Journalists Matter" campaign aimed at ensuring the safety of journalists and protecting freedom of speech under martial law.

The Verkhovna Rada plans to consider a draft law on granting English the status of the language of international communication in Ukraine, defining positions requiring knowledge of English, mandatory study of English in preschools, and promoting the use of English in cultural spheres and on official websites.

The European Court of Human Rights has ruled against Russian singer Philipp Kirkorov in his case against Lithuania for a travel ban over his statements in support of Russia's occupation of Crimea.

Denys "Redis" Prokopenko, commander of the 12th Azov Special Forces Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine, called on the United States to lift the ban on Western weapons to Azov, as it hinders the brigade's combat capability and reduces Ukraine's defense capabilities.

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe votes to recommend Kosovo's membership despite Serbia's opposition.

Ukraine is moving toward an international compensation mechanism through the PACE resolution "Support for Ukraine's Recovery," which allows individuals and legal entities to file claims for compensation for war-related damages, including tangible and intangible losses, with the aim of accumulating funds from frozen Russian assets.