Ukraine withdraws from convention on legal assistance in civil, family and criminal cases in relations with Russia, Belarus

MOSCOW. Dec 2 (Interfax) - The Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada has terminated the convention on legal assistance in civil, family and criminal cases in the relations with Russia and Belarus.

The parliament backed the respective presidential bill at a plenary meeting on Thursday, the Ukrainian media said with the reference to a statement made by Verkhovna Rada deputy Alexei Goncharenko from the European Solidarity faction on a social network.

The bill terminates the convention dated January 22, 1993, and the related protocol of 1997 in the relations with Russia and Belarus and envisages Ukraine's withdrawal from these international agreements.

Article 84 of the Convention says it is valid for five years since the day of entry into force and is automatically extended for five years upon the expiry of this period. Any party can quit the convention by filing a written notice to the depositary 12 months before the expiry of the current five-year term.

The Convention of 1993 took effect on May 19, 1994 (April 14, 1995, for Ukraine). It applies to Ukraine's relations with Belarus, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Russia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Georgia and Turkmenistan.

The current five-year period expires on May 18, 2024.