The Ukrainian delegation has decided to suspend work in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) in protest against the decision to abolish the sanction mechanism, UNIAN News Agency reports.

This decision has already been approved and will be announced in the near future, the European Pravda news outlet reported on Tuesday, June 25.

Having filed an appeal against the reinstated powers of the Russian delegation and the automatic appointment of Leonid Slutsky, who is under European Union personal sanctions over Russian aggression against Ukraine, as PACE Vice-President, the Ukrainian delegation left the session hall and would not participate in further debates until the end of the day.

On Wednesday, the Ukrainian delegation will temporarily return to the hall for the appeal against the powers of the Russian delegation. Ukraine will demand that the Russians be stripped of all powers and the right to hold executive positions in the committees.

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) voted for the resolution to make it possible for the Russian delegation to return to the chamber. The vote took place early on June 25 following debate during PACE’s opening summer session in Strasbourg.

A total of 118 parliamentarians agreed to welcome Russia back into PACE, 62 members voted against and 10 – abstained.

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe deprived the Russian delegation of its voting rights in the body over the annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea region in March 2014.