Council of Europe expels Russia from human rights body

The Council of Europe has expelled Russia from the continent’s foremost human rights body over its military operation  in Ukraine. The 47-nation organization’s committee of ministers said in a statement that the Russian Federation ceases to be a member of the Council of Europe as from Wednesday, after 26 years of membership. The decision comes on the heels of weeks of condemnation of Russia’s actions in Ukraine. Early in the week, the group’s parliamentary assembly already initiated the process of expulsion and unanimously backed that Russia would be kicked out.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov insisted that it would have left the body regardless. In an interview with Russian broadcaster RBK, he accused NATO and EU countries of abusing their majority in the council, eventually transforming it into a tool for anti-Russian policy. Ukraine is also a member of the Council of Europe. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba immediately welcomed the decision, posting on Twitter that there is no place for Russia in European bodies as it wages a barbaric war of aggression against Ukraine and commits multiple war crimes.

Japan has decided to deprive Russia of the status of a Most-Favored Nation in connection with the events in Ukraine, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said. The Most-Favored Nation treatment was extended to Russia as a member of the WTO, according to one of the main principles which are to provide one country with the same foreign trade conditions that other members of the organization enjoy. Russia has enjoyed the benefits of the Most-Favored Nation treatment as a member of the WTO since 2012. Japan will impose restrictions on the export of luxury goods to Russia and will also impose a ban on the import of a number of goods from Russia, Kishida said. Japan, together with G7, will take measures to make it difficult for Russia to receive investments from the World Bank and other international organizations, he said.