Russian parliament may refuse to recognize Ukrainian borders
Konstantin Zatulin (United Russia), First Deputy Chairperson of the State Duma committee for CIS affairs, Eurasian integration and relations with Russian nationals abroad, proposed that the Russian-Ukrainian Friendship Treaty be renounced with respect to the section where the countries recognize each other’s territorial borders, RIA Novosti reports. The MP believes that the treaty favors Ukraine “one-sidedly”.
“In an article of the treaty we recognize the territorial borders of Ukraine, and they [recognize] ours accordingly – at the moment of the signing and ratification of this document. This means that, having signed signed this agreement in 1997 and then at the time of its ratification in 1999, Russia confirmed that it considers Crimea and Sevastopol to be part of Ukraine’s territory,” Zatulin observed.
The MP believes that the border between Ukraine and Russia needs to be revised.
“Thus I personally will propose, and already propose… that we should denounce it, at least in the part of this agreement – the part concerning the second article, specifically the recognition of borders,” Zatulin commented.
The Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership between Ukraine and the Russian Federation, signed in 1997, is considered the fundamental basis of Ukrainian-Russian relations.
On march 16, 2014, a so-called “referendum” was held in Crimea concerning the status of the peninsula, as a result of which Russia annexed Crimea on March 18. The results of the voting on the “referendum” were not recognized by the world.