Russia-Ukraine war: Fights break out between Russian and Ukrainian delegates at meeting in Turkey

A fight broke out between Russian and Ukrainian representatives at a meeting of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Community.

Tempers frayed at the gathering in the Turkish capital of Ankara. Both countries are represented by the body which was founded 30 years ago. For three decades its task has been to provide “joint support for strengthening cooperation and partnership in the region”.

Hopes that the conflict between the two countries could be put aside were dashed, however, when a Russian representative took exception to his Ukrainian counterpart waving his country’s distinctive yellow and blue flag.

Clutching paperwork in one hand he marched across the foyer, ripped the flag away and then marched briskly off. The Ukrainian representative objected and gave chase.

Throwing punches he snatched the flag back. He was restrained by others present, who implored “no fight”. Somebody out of camera range shouted: “It’s our flag.”

At the same event, members of the Ukrainian delegation stormed into the meeting and unfurled their flag while a Russian delegate was speaking.

Tensions erupted when Ola Timofeeva, a member of the State Duma from the United Russia party, addressed delegates.

She upset the Ukrainian delegation by wearing a St George’s ribbon, seen by Kyiv as a symbol of Russian aggression, on her jacket. Security staff who tried to calm the situation were pushed out of the way.

Mustafa Sentop, the speaker of the Turkish parliament, adjourned the meeting and ejected the Ukrainians. He said everybody could express their views orally.

“There is nothing wrong with this. If attempts are made to hold actions, the site of today’s meeting will cease to be a parliamentary event and turn into a street movement,” he said.

According to the meeting’s agenda, the purpose of the gathering was to discuss: “The role of parliamentary diplomacy amid global change: development, peace, stability”.