Applications for the platform of Russian democratic forces at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe are being accepted until January 5, 2026. PACE sees the mechanism as a new format for dialogue with Russian citizens who oppose the war and authoritarian rule.
On October 1, 2025, the assembly adopted a resolution establishing the platform. The document became the first official decision by a European institution to recognize the existence of Russians who do not support the war, dictatorship, or aggression against neighboring countries.
The platform will consist of 12 members, and its chair will be the president of PACE, who will be responsible for coordinating work with Russian democratic forces. Representatives of the Anti-War Committee, Free Russia Foundation, the Anti-Corruption Foundation, and the Free Russia Forum had been negotiating the structure’s creation since 2022, with the active phase beginning in 2023 after support from the assembly’s president.
Platform members will not have the right to vote on PACE resolutions because they are not elected representatives of all Russian citizens. They will, however, be able to take part in working groups, including those dealing with Russia-related issues, explain developments inside the country to delegates, and defend the rights of compatriots who opposed the war both in Russia and in exile.
The full list of candidates will be submitted to PACE on January 5. It will then be reviewed by the office of the assembly’s president, and the final composition will be approved by the PACE bureau, which includes the leaders of the political groups. Priority is expected to go to candidates backed by the four Russian organizations named in the resolution.
It is also specified that only Russians living in forced exile may take part. PACE concluded that involving people who remain inside the country would be too dangerous. An additional safeguard for European lawmakers was the Berlin Declaration by anti-war Russians, signed by more than 30,000 people and affirming support for Ukraine as the victim of aggression.
Applications are being collected through secure email accessible to PACE staff. No personal data is required: a short biography and an indication of whether the applicant has a recommendation from one of the recognized organizations are sufficient. On January 26, 2026, the PACE bureau is due to vote on the candidates, after which the platform will begin its work.