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Senior lawmaker suggests using Russia’s payments to UN as "levers of political pressure"

"US and other countries are using their payments as a lever of pressure. It is an instrument of political measure… We need it, too," Russian State Duma Deputy Speaker Vladimir Zhirinovsky says

Vladimir Zhirinovsky Mikhail Metsel/TASS

Vladimir Zhirinovsky

© Mikhail Metsel/TASS

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Russia says EU move to extend sanctions violates UN Security Council resolution

MOSCOW, June 26. /TASS/. Russian State Duma Deputy Speaker, leader of the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR) Vladimir Zhirinovsky has said Friday that Russia needs to reconsider mechanisms of making financial contributions to international organizations such as UN and Council of Europe and use payments as "a lever of political pressure."

"US and other countries are using their payments as a lever of pressure. It is an instrument of political measure… We need it, too," Zhirinovsky said. The lawmaker suggested to review the issue "not only concerning the UN, but also other international organizations, including the Council of Europe, where we regularly pay and then do not attend [the Parliamentary Assembly] for a year."

"Representatives of other countries are working on our money… We service other armies. Foreign soldiers in different parts of the planet conduct drills on our money," Zhirinovsky said.

According to Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov, Russia’s annual contribution to UN stands at around $30 million. Payments to the Council of Europe, which includes several contributions to PACE, Committee of Ministers, Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, and European Court of Human Rights, makes up around €40 million.

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