The arrival in Geneva of senior Russian officials under sanctions arouses the anger of the Russian opponents of Switzerland and elsewhere. An open letter addressed to Swiss parliamentarians was signed by more than 200 people. It requires an investigation for violation of the penal code.
Switzerland had temporarily lifted sanctions against the president of the Russian Senate Valentina Matvienko so that she could go to an interparliamentary Union (UIP) meeting.
Considered Russian President Vladimir Putin, Valentina Matvienko participated on Monday in a summit of presidents of parliaments piloted by the president of the National Council Maja Riniker (PLR/AG). She then continued on Tuesday with the World Conference of Presidents of Parliaments, leading the Russian delegation.
The upper room of the Russian Parliament, to which the open letter criticizes for being an accomplice of the Russian attack, as well as two members of the Duma also under sanctions – Leonid Sluzki and the number two Piotr Tolstoy – were also in Geneva. The signatories, including the Swiss antenna of Russia of the future and Russia liberties, accuse them of having actively legitimized the war against Ukraine.
![The president of the Russian Senate Valentina Matvienko is considered to be close to the Russian president Vladimir Putin. [Keystone - Mikhail Metzel, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP]](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///ywAAAAAAQABAAACAUwAOw== "The president of the Russian Senate Valentina Matvienko is considered to be close to the Russian president Vladimir Putin. [Keystone - Mikhail Metzel, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP]")
Affront for Ukrainian civil society
The open letter was signed by more than 200 people or organizations, including dissidents who had been imprisoned in Russia and were exchanged in 2024, such as Vladimir Kara-Mourza, Oleg Orlov and Ilia Iachine. The presence in Switzerland of this Russian delegation is an affront for Ukrainian civil society and affects the credibility of the UIP, they add in the letter for this organization, the Federal Council, the Federal Parliamentarians and the Geneva authorities.
The signatories notably ask for an investigation into the links between these Russian parliamentarians, the Federal Council, the Federal Parliament, as well as the Council of State and the Great Geneva Council. They also believe that the participation of these “war criminals” in the UIP meeting violates the sanctions regime.
“These are not real parliamentarians. They are political propagandists,” said Oleg Mikhailov, member of the Russia Association of the future association on Thursday in the RTS morning. “If we start to chat with them, it’s an alarming signal. It means that we lose our democratic values”.
“Neutrality is not an excuse”
For its part, Switzerland declared to act in accordance with international agreements. Questioned in mid-July, the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (DFAE) had indicated that Switzerland, as a host state, is competent to facilitate the entry of official delegates.
If necessary, sanctions must be temporarily lifted to participate in international conferences or take part in a political dialogue concerning Ukraine.
Last year, the president of the Confederation Viola Amherd had even hinted that Vladimir Putin would not be arrested, despite the mandate of the International Criminal Court (ICC), if he came to Switzerland to negotiate with Ukraine. “Neutrality is not an excuse,” retort the signatories.
Edel with ATS
