MFA Spokesperson: Matviyenko's place is in dock, not at intl conferences

Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine (MFA) Heorhiy Tykhy commented on the visit of Chairperson of the Federation Council of Russia Valentina Matviyenko to Switzerland for the World Conference of Speakers of Parliaments, noting that Matviyenko's place is in the dock, not at international conferences.

"Her admission to Geneva is disgraceful and should never have happened. The Genocidal Matvienko bears personal responsibility for the crime of aggression and all subsequent atrocities after publicly endorsing the use of Russian armed forces on Ukrainian territory. We urge all participants with at least some self-respect to avoid shaking her hand, which is covered in Ukrainian blood," the spokesperson said on the X social network on Monday.

Tykhy said Ukraine is working to organize another international visit for Matviyenko – to The Hague.

"We will continue to work tirelessly on another trip for Valentyna Matvienko, one she truly deserves, to The Hague, where the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression Against Ukraine will soon begin its work," the spokesperson said.

As Radio Liberty reported, a Russian delegation led by Federation Council Chairperson Valentina Matviyenko arrived in Switzerland on Sunday to participate in the sixth World Conference of Speakers of Parliaments and other events of the Inter-Parliamentary Union. In addition to Matviyenko herself, the delegation includes Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council Konstantin Kosachev, First Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council Committee for International Affairs Andrey Denisov and others – ten people represent Russia in the Inter-Parliamentary Union.

It is reported that the Inter-Parliamentary Union is an organization created in 1889 for interaction between parliaments of the world, and almost all UN member states participate in its work, far from all of which, according to political scientists and non-governmental organizations, are democracies.

The Ukrainian delegation was headed by Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Ruslan Stefanchuk, Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Olena Kondartiuk and others.