Regarding the situation with the participation of the Russian (half-sanctioned) delegation headed by Valentina Matvienko in the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Conference in Geneva, Switzerland.

First, the decision of the official Bern to make an exception (not for the first time) for participants of international conferences under sanctions (also in Switzerland) was known since mid-July.

Secondly, signals were sent through diplomatic channels about the unwillingness to make an exception for Russians under sanctions, but to no avail.

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Thirdly, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine made a condemning comment (albeit only on social media, in a comment by a spokesperson). However, it was actually at the beginning of the events.

Fourthly, the leadership of the IPU actually tried (without Ukrainian approval) to ORGANIZE a meeting between the Russian and Ukrainian delegations. Ukraine was supposed to be represented by the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Ruslan Stefanchuk with three accompanying persons (not MPs), and it is good that they did not fall into the trap. The only question is why a clear message was not given to the MPS in advance that such a meeting was a priori impossible?

Fifthly, it is unlikely that the official structures of Italy and France would have banned the flight of the plane with the Russian delegation, having had an official request from Bern.

As a result, Ukrainian diplomacy worked well, but with reservations.

The Permanent Mission of Ukraine to the UN Office and other international organizations in Geneva has done a good job in principle of the work they were entrusted with.

The Vice Speaker of the Ukrainian Parliament, Olena Kondratyuk, also did a good job. The result: a demarche with the support of several delegations and an eloquent speech.

But... Given this chosen algorithm of response, a separate information work plan should also have been developed and effectively implemented.

This would include, at least, a series of interviews of the Ukrainian Ambassador to Switzerland (this is the direct responsibility of the head of the Embassy) with local and foreign media; the Ambassador's briefing for the media on the eve of the event; her work with active Ukrainians and Ukrainian organizations to prepare public opinion; their organization of a picket against the participation of the Russian delegation under sanctions; and the organization of a parallel event in Geneva, which would be dedicated to the conviction of Russian war criminals and compliance with sanctions. xml-ph-0002@dee

In addition, we could also coordinate with the UWC, which is only now (and only in Italy) collecting signatures to condemn the admission of Russians under sanctions to Switzerland.

If there was such an instruction from the center to Ms. Ambassador, then the work was completely failed. If not, then there are questions to those who did not take this information aspect into account.

As a result, we have the erosion of sanctions pressure on Russian senior officials who openly support the destruction of Ukraine and Ukrainians and have made appropriate decisions to that end.

And at the same time, they failed to preventively inform the public so that international publicity would prevent such a situation.

We have to draw conclusions, because now the Russians will use such tools even more actively to get out of isolation, and we have to prevent this by working proactively.

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