Denouncing Ukrainian-Russian Friendship Treaty is formality given current state of relations - State Duma's Slutsky
MOSCOW. Dec 3 (Interfax) - Kyiv's termination of the Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation, and Partnership between Ukraine and Russia will be a formality given the current level of bilateral relations, State Duma Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Leonid Slutsky said.
"Submitting the bill denouncing the Friendship Treaty with Russia by [Ukrainian] President [Petro] Poroshenko to the Verkhovna Rada at exactly this moment is a blatantly ostentatious political gesture. [...] De facto, the termination of the treaty is a formality, given the current level of relations," Slutsky told reporters on Monday.
"Poroshenkos come and, sooner or later, go. Despite all of this, Russia considered and still considers the Ukrainian people to be fraternal," he said.
This gesture has been made "as part of electoral hysteria along with Kyv's provocation in the Kerch Strait and was followed by the introduction of martial law in those Ukrainian areas and regions, where the presidential rating is quite low," he said.
"For staying in power, and, the more to say, for usurping power Poroshenko plans to further use Russia's image as a external enemy, but not to deal with real economic issues for the benefit of Ukrainian citizens. The trick is as old as this world, repeatedly mocked by the Hollywood. But the current president instructed by his overseas patrons apparently sets his people at defiance," Slutsky said.
"Poroshenkos come and, sooner or later, go. Despite all of this, Russia considered and still considers the Ukrainian people to be fraternal," he said.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko suggests in a bill he has submitted on Monday to denounce the Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership between Ukraine and Russia dated April 1, 2019.
"Starting from April 1, 2019, terminate the effect of the Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership between Ukraine and the Russian Federation, which was concluded in Kyiv on May 31, 1997, and ratified by Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada on January 14, 1998 in accordance with Article 40 of the Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership between Ukraine and the Russian Federation," the bill reads.
According to the document, the termination of the Treaty relieves Kyiv of any obligations to fulfill it and does not impact the rights, commitments or Ukraine's legal position, which have aroused pertaining to the implementation of the given Treaty ahead of its termination.