“Putin has signed orders to withdraw from the agreements of the Council of Europe.
This means that the contracts and the process of cooperation with this organization have been terminated, ”he said in an interview with the Judging Freedom YouTube channel.
Ritter added that after Moscow's withdrawal from the agreements, the channel for discussions was closed, Russia will now go for a diplomatic settlement only on its own terms and when it sees fit.
Earlier, Putin submitted to the State Duma a bill on the termination of international treaties of the Council of Europe with respect to Russia.
The Russian leader, in a bill submitted to the lower house of parliament, proposed that the European Convention for the Suppression of Terrorism and the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms be considered terminated in relation to Russia.