A Russian delegation has arrived in Geneva for the Sixth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament. The group includes Federation Council Chair Valentina Matviyenko, Deputy Speaker of the State Duma Pyotr Tolstoy, and Chairman of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs Leonid Slutsky.
All three are under EU and international sanctions. While Switzerland is not a member of the EU, it largely mirrors and has adopted most EU sanctions against Russia — especially those related to finance and international trade — to prevent their circumvention through the country. However, there appear to be no entry bans for some individuals, which is why some high-ranking Russians, including propagandists and state officials, are able to cross Switzerland’s border and attend international events.
On Monday, July 28, Matviyenko spoke at the Summit of Women Speakers of Parliament, where she urged participants to visit Donbas in order to witness for themselves what she described as the crimes of the “Kyiv regime.” Matviyenko’s speech, titled “Women, Peace, and Security 25 Years On: Persistent Issues and the Way Forward,” encouraged listeners to:
“Please, come to Donbas and see the Alley of Angels, dedicated to the memory of the murdered children. Russia was forced to intervene to stop the bloodshed, to stop the killing of civilians. And yesterday, July 27, was the Day of Remembrance for Children Victims of the War in Donbas. I always urge people to speak the truth when looking others in the eye, to be guided by facts rather than invented stories.”
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Tbf, I am more amazed by the fact, that they were able to TRAVEL to Geneva since Switzerland is landlocked and surrounded by supposedly Ukrainian allies.