Ukraine prepares to withdraw from CIS and Russian-Ukrainian Friendship Treaty
The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has prepared two proposals, one to withdraw the country from the bodies of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and another to denounce the Russian-Ukrainian Friendship Treaty.
"Minister Pavlo Klimkin announced to our Foreign Affairs Committee that the Foreign Ministry had prepared proposals for the President to withdraw [Ukraine] from the CIS bodies and to denounce the treaty on Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership between Ukraine and the Russian Federation," People's Deputy Svitlana Zalishchuk wrote on Facebook.
She also noted that when the Minister was asked if such actions could be expected, he said that the decision remains with the Head of State.
The Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership between Ukraine and the Russian Federation was signed on May 31, 1997, with an initial duration of ten years and an automatic extension for subsequent ten-year periods in the absence of objections from either party.
The Treaty also establishes the principles of strategic partnership, recognition of the inviolability of existing borders, and respect for territorial integrity, as well as a mutual obligation not to use territory to the detriment of the other partner’s security.
In 2016, Foreign Ministry representatives said that the Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership between Ukraine and the Russian Federation would not be denounced, since it is serving as court evidence in the case against Russia.