CIS to invite Ukraine to its events until withdrawal is official - Lebedev
MOSCOW. May 23 (Interfax) - The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) will keep inviting Ukrainian representatives to its meetings and other events until Ukraine officially leaves the organization, the newspaper Izvestia said on Wednesday with reference to CIS Executive Secretary Sergei Lebedev.
"Of course, we will be doing it [inviting Ukraine to our meetings] because for now Ukraine is a member of the Commonwealth of Independent States. We have heard the country declaring its withdrawal from the CIS many times before. Yet Kyiv has not submitted official documents to the effect to the CIS Executive Committee," Lebedev said.
CIS member countries would regret Ukraine's withdrawal, considering "long-standing economic, cultural, and humanitarian bonds," he said.
"As far as we know, the Ukrainian president has ordered to analyze all treaties and agreements that connect Ukraine to the CIS and to withdraw from those allegedly disadvantageous for Ukraine. The nature of his instruction does not prove the country has decided to fully withdraw from the Commonwealth; let us not hurry but wait until formal notices are given," Lebedev said.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said earlier that the decision terminating the validity of some CIS agreements for Ukraine made by the Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) on May 2, 2018, was taking effect.