Due to sanctions, the UK refused to allow members of the Russian delegation to travel to the OSCE session

The UK denied visas to members of the Russian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) due to the fact that they are all on the country's sanctions list.

According to Vladimir Dzhabarov, Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council Committee on International Affairs, the UK's actions are a gross violation of the Tbilisi Declaration of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, according to which the participating states are obliged to provide unimpeded access to their territory to all members of the Assembly for the duration of the event.

The senator said that Russia had previously asked the Russian Foreign Ministry and the leadership of the assembly to resolve the issue of granting visas to Russian parliamentarians, but was denied their request.

Dzhabarov also stressed that Russia is not going to recognize the decisions taken in its absence, including the final declaration.

Despite this, the senator noted that he does not consider it expedient to refuse to participate in the work of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, since it provides an opportunity to "advance our views and approaches."

• The 29th annual session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly will be held from 2 to 6 July in Birmingham. Due to the pandemic, it will be the organization's first event in two years to involve delegates in person.
• In early June, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was unable to get to Serbia due to the fact that Bulgaria, North Macedonia and Montenegro closed their airspace to the minister's plane.