Kremlin expresses regret over the termination of the Friendship Treaty with ‘brotherly Ukraine’
Putin’s Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov said that the Kremlin regretted that Kyiv had not renewed the Friendship Treaty with the Russian Federation because Russians and Ukrainians "have ties of kinship and fraternal relations," TASS reports.
The decree “On the termination of the Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership Treaty between Ukraine and the Russian Federation,” signed by President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko on December 10th was described by Peskov as “a manifestation of disrespect for the citizens of Ukraine.”
"One thing is obvious. It is unlikely that this [decision not to extend the treaty with the Russian Federation] can be considered a step in the interests of Ukrainians, the very Ukrainians with whom we have ties of kinship and fraternal relations, despite everything," said the press secretary of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“Only regrets can be expressed for the Ukrainian leadership making such hasty decisions. From our point of view, this is a manifestation of disrespect towards one’s own people and their interests,” added Peskov.
On December 6, the Verkhovna Rada adopted a draft bill to terminate the treaty, effective April 1, 2019. 277 deputies supported the bill. The Friendship Treaty between Russian and Ukraine was signed in May 1997 and took effect on April 1, 1999, with automatic renewal every ten years in the absence of objections by either party. Now, the treaty will formally end on April 1, 2019.