21 January 2025
23:08
5.2 magnitude earthquake strikes western Turkey
22:56
Total of 7.81% of voters cast their ballots early in Belarus election
22:25 Conflict in Syria
French court issues new arrest warrant for ex-Syrian president Assad — media
22:03
West's illegal actions set stage for terrorism in Africa — Russian envoy to UN
21:44
Four wounded in stabbing attack in Tel Aviv — portal
21:32 Middle East conflict
One of Hezbollah leaders dies in armed attack in Western Beqaa
21:13
Western countries using ‘hidden veto’ to block UNSC resolutions — Russian mission
21:11
Death toll in Turkish hotel fire climbs to 76 — interior minister
20:43 Middle East conflict
Israel Defense Forces claims killing 20,000 Hamas militants in 15 months
20:16 Conflict in Syria
Syria terminates Tartus port management contract with Russian company
19:50
Parade of planets to be visible from inside Russia until mid-March — scientists
19:30
Slovak PM calls for postponing Kiev’s NATO membership for peace talks
19:05 Ukraine crisis
US wants lasting peace in Ukraine — top diplomat
19:03 Military operation in Ukraine
Kadyrov says drones destroyed Ukrainian firing positions equipped with Starlink
18:58
Russia to continue supporting Cuba — Russian diplomat
18:48 Coronavirus pandemic
Von der Leyen’s vaccine purchase transparency case to continue — plaintiff
18:47
Melania Trump captures global mood with inauguration outfit — fashion expert
18:46 Military operation in Ukraine
Gas pipeline damaged in Kakhovka after Ukrainian attack
18:44 Ukraine crisis
Orban says Ukraine shouldn’t dictate terms to Hungary, Slovakia
18:30 Coronavirus pandemic
Belgian court throws out von der Leyen’s vaccine transparency case
18:20
Talks between Putin, Xi Jinping important as US seeks to divide them — analyst
18:20 Energy crisis in Europe
Europe will have to boost LNG purchases in 2025, IEA says
18:19
Trump’s Greenland statements could ignite conflict inside NATO — expert
18:09
Trump aims at long-term deterrence of Russia — nominee
17:40 Middle East conflict
Gaza officials peg damage from hostilities at $38 bln
17:38
Global oil market can maintain balance — expert
17:28 Middle East conflict
Death toll from Israeli strikes on Gaza Strip exceeds 47,100 — health ministry
17:22
Russia’s LNG output up by 8% in 2024, exports can be cut by 5% in 2025 — IEA
17:21 Middle East conflict
Death toll from Israel’s operation in Jenin in West Bank up to 8
17:20 Middle East conflict
Putin commends Egypt’s role in mediating Israel-Hamas deal
17:17 Energy crisis in Europe
IEA does not expect resumption of Russian gas transit to Europe via Ukraine in 2025
17:14
Iran to be Trump’s biggest test in Middle East — portal
17:12
Drunken American goes on rampage in Moscow cafe over Trump’s inauguration
17:11 Ukraine crisis
Hungary, Slovakia demand from Ukraine to find gas transit solution — Orban
17:10 Tourism
Over two mln tourists travel between Russia, China in 2024
17:07
Putin, El-Sisi discussed construction of nuclear power plant — Kremlin
17:05 Military operation in Ukraine
Kursk governor condemns Ukraine's killing of civilians in local village as genocide
17:00 Ukraine crisis
Slovakia not involved in Ukraine conflict, wants peace — Fico
16:44
IEA reports 7% increase in gas output in Russia in 2024, raised its estimate for 2025
16:33
Russia’s LNG exports to Europe up by 17% in 2024 — IEA
All news
5 Dec 2018, 13:40

'No need to be very smart' to tear up friendship treaty with Russia, notes diplomat

The treaty is set to be dissolved on April 1, 2019

MOSCOW, December 5. /TASS/. It doesn’t take a lot of brainpower to cancel agreements with Russia but it is unclear whether Kiev can offer a legal alternative for its citizens, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told a briefing on Wednesday.

"Virtually every day, we can hear Ukrainian officials rant and rave about how many agreements, treaties, and legal acts with Russia they have already trampled on or torn up, or how many of them are currently being broken and how many will be broken in the future. Firstly, you don’t have to be very smart to make such statements, and, secondly, break them," she stated.

The diplomat noted that the main question is "how to carry on living and whether they have any alternative, not for the Russian side, but primarily for their citizens, <...> a legal alternative that would regulate relations that the peoples of both countries is required."

Chronicle of Poroshenko’s ‘Friendship’ break-up

On September 17, Ukrainian President Pyotr Poroshenko signed a decree on enforcing the decision by Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council to terminate the Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership between Ukraine and Russia. Later on, the Ukrainian Cabinet instructed the Foreign Ministry to notify Russia and international organizations of Kiev’s desire to end the treaty by September 27. At the same time, the government instructed Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry, the Ministry of Justice, the Economic Development Ministry and the Finance Ministry "to ensure that the Cabinet submits this bill to terminate the treaty with Russia to the president" by October 22.

According to Ukrainian legislation, now the document should be ratified by the parliament. On Monday, December 3, Poroshenko submitted the bill on renouncing the Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership between Ukraine and Russia to Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada. The treaty is set to be dissolved on April 1, 2019. The document specifies that its termination "releases Ukraine from any obligations on abiding by it and affects no rights, responsibilities or legal status of the country, which emerged as a result of adhering to the treaty before its dissolution."

The Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership between Ukraine and the Russian Federation was signed in May 1997 and entered into force in April 1999 for a period of ten years, with an automatic extension for the next decade on a no-objection basis. October 2018 was the deadline when the parties had to declare their intention to extend the treaty or terminate it.