Council of Europe leaders gather to show united face against Russia

A year after kicking Russia out of the Council of Europe (CoE), the leaders of the 46-nation pan-continental rights body gather Tuesday in Iceland to show a united face against Moscow.

Picture taken on May 15, 2023 shows the Harpa Concert hall in Reykjavik, Iceland, the venue of the 4th Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the Council of Europe, on the eve of the two-day summit. © John MACDOUGALL / AFP

It will consider, possible measures to hold Russia legally responsible for the death and destruction it has caused after invading Ukraine dominate the summit in Reykjavik,

It is only the fourth such meeting to be held in the CoE's seven-decade history.

The CoE, not to be confused with the European Council, the EU's executive branch, includes all 27 European Union nations plus Britain, Turkey, Western Balkan countries, Georgia and Armenia.

Its mission is to saveguard human rights, democracy and rule of law in its member states as embedded in the European Convention (Echr) through the Strasbough-based European Court for Human Rights.

This photo shows the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in Strasbourg, eastern France, on February 7, 2019. AFP - FREDERICK FLORIN

As a direct result of its 24 February, 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the CoE decided to suspend Russia's membership. 

Whirlwind tour

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the opening of the summit by videolink, according to British officials who hosted him on the last leg of a whirlwind tour he made of major European capitals.

During Zelensky's trip, Berlin, Paris and London all pledged to step up arms deliveries to Kyiv, deepening a military arrangement between the West and Ukraine that has helped put Russia on the back foot.

Ukraine is expected to mount an offensive against Russian forces in the east of its territory in coming weeks.

Zelensky tweeted on Monday that he was "returning home with new defence packages".

.@coe 4th Summit starts today in Reykjavik / Le 4e Sommet @coe_fr commence aujourd’hui à Reykjavik pic.twitter.com/DRWeDTGYeR

— Marija Pejčinović Burić (@MarijaPBuric) May 16, 2023

European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen, who is attending the summit, said on Monday that the EU will "keep supporting Ukraine for as long as it takes".

She said that, "in Reykjavik we will discuss how to hold Russia accountable" and "I will support the creation of a dedicated tribunal to bring Russia's crime of aggression to trial".

Von der Leyen, Britain and the United States, which holds observer status in the CoE, all voiced backing for a new register of damage in The Hague that would record harm and destruction wrought by Russia for the mooted future court.

Russia isolated   

The commission and EU countries are in favour of setting up a special tribunal, likely in The Hague in the Netherlands where the International Criminal Court already sits, to judge Russian leaders and commanders.

That, however, will only be realised after what is likely to be a long war, with Russia digging in and perhaps preparing its own spring attack on Ukrainian positions.

The two-day Council of Europe summit will be an opportunity for almost the entire European community to portray Russia as isolated on its own continent.

• Ukraine's Zelensky visits ICC, calls for new court to try crime of aggression

Emmanuel Macron of France, Rishi Sunak of Britain and Olaf Scholz of Germany are among the heads of state and government set to attend.

But for all the projected unity there are fissures in the European community.

Britain, for instance, is antagonistic towards the CoE's European Convention of Human Rights, which is a barrier to its plans to stem the irregular arrival of asylum-seekers by deporting them to Rwanda or returning them to transit European countries.

The convention is backed by the European Court of Human Rights which has made rulings that have already stymied Britain's efforts in that direction.

"It is clear that our current international system is not working, and our communities and the world's most vulnerable people are paying the price," Sunak said late Monday.

Britain's ruling Tories, who took their country out of the European Union after a Brexit referendum, are determined to fight what they describe as "the scourge of illegal migration".

The leaders' gathering is also a key moment for the heads of European heavyweights Germany, France, Italy and Britain to meet before a G7 summit starting Friday in Hiroshima, Japan.

(With wires)