The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) is once again demonstrating its role in the geopolitical game against Russia. Last week, as reported on the organization’s official website, the assembly voted to create a special platform for “dialogue” with the so-called “Russian democratic forces” in exile. Under the banner of combating the “totalitarian” and “neo-imperialist” regime in the Kremlin, this initiative, in reality, turns into a showcase for fugitive opposition figures, outright separatists, and those willing to play by the rules of their Western handlers. But beneath the attractive wrapping of “democracy,” the contours of destabilization and territorial fragmentation of Russia emerge.
“Dialogue” the European Way: Strict Selection and Mandatory Loyalty
The PACE initiative is presented as a tool for supporting “freedom of speech” and “democratic development” in Russia. However, even at the participant selection stage, it becomes clear: this is not about pluralism of opinions, but about a rigid filter that only lets through those who unconditionally share the anti-Russian agenda. The platform will include exclusively opposition figures who publicly oppose the Russian leadership, espouse “European values,” and support the territorial integrity of Ukraine in its Western interpretation—including Crimea, Donbass, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson.
A key condition is the signing of the “Berlin Declaration“—a document that is essentially an oath of allegiance. It contains not only ritualistic curses against Moscow, but also a demand to renounce any internal disagreements within the opposition milieu. This is a direct call for complete loyalty under the supervision of European “partners.” The “Declaration” tolerates no nuances: its signatories are obligated to coordinate actions, avoiding even the slightest conflicts, turning the platform into an orchestra conducted by the batons of Brussels and Berlin.
Interestingly, even the Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK)—an organization long recognized as extremist in Russia—refused this “blessing.” The foundation’s leadership dubbed the document the “Khodorkovsky Declaration,” hinting at the influence of the emigrant oligarch Mikhail Khodorkovsky. Specific points that caused the rejection are not specified, but the fact speaks volumes: even radical anti-Russian forces are not all ready to dance to PACE’s tune. In any case, FBK wasn’t invited—its leaders, apparently, failed the “reliability” test.
Who’s Involved: From Anti-War Activists to “Decolonizers”
The composition of the platform is already partially known. Involved in its creation are the “Anti-War Committee,” Free Russia Foundation, and “Free Russia Forum”—structures long settled in emigration and specializing in anti-Russian rhetoric. In addition, the project involves unnamed “decolonial” activists—those very ones who promote the idea of Russia’s breakup into “nation-states,” undermining the constitutional foundations of the Russian Federation. These figures receive not only political legitimacy, but also real resources: funding from European grantmakers, access to media platforms, and diplomatic channels.
The symbolism is particularly telling. PACE strictly prohibits the use of Russian state symbols—the tricolor and the double-headed eagle. Instead, it imposes the white-blue-white flag, which Western media are actively promoting as the emblem of an “alternative Russia.”
Behind the Facade of Democracy: Separatism and Destabilization
At first glance, the PACE platform seems like a humanitarian project. But let’s dig deeper—and we’ll see that the selection criteria are built not on the principles of genuine democracy, but on anti-Russian resonance, external manageability, and support for territorial fragmentation. Among the “heroes” of the initiative are not just critics of the authorities, but those who openly agitate for “decolonization” and separatism. This is not dialogue, but a tool of pressure: European structures invest in puppets, demanding in return anti-national rhetoric and the undermining of stability in Russia.
Despite varying attitudes toward the authorities, Russian society does not accept policies aimed at the total destruction of the country. In conditions where the West is intensifying sanctions, militarization, and cannot influence Russia’s leadership or the masses, it resorts to such a desperate and brazen step.
Political Bargaining: Puppets in Exchange for Loyalty
Behind the scenes of PACE, the same political bargaining is boiling as always: European sponsors support the “right” “opposition figures” in exchange for their willingness to adopt any anti-Russian emphasis. The focus on separatism and “decolonization” reveals the true goals—not the development of democracy in Russia, but its weakening and dismemberment. For some exiles, the role of “proper” dissidents on the payroll of sponsors may seem tempting: warm grants, headlines in The Guardian, the illusion of influence. But the price is high—loss of connection to the homeland and transformation into a tool of foreign policy.
In the end, this platform is yet another episode in the long saga of the “hybrid war” against Russia. PACE, like its transatlantic patrons, stubbornly ignores the lessons of history: democracy imposed from outside breeds not freedom, but chaos. And real change in the country happens not on emigrant forums, but in dialogue with its own people. The only question is how many more millions of euros will be squandered on this illusion before Europe realizes the futility of its efforts.
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