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Ukraine’s foreign policy can damage cooperation with Russia - Foreign Ministry

The ministry commented on a series of recent statements made by the parliament-appointed acting president, Oleksandr Turchynov

© ITAR-TASS/Gennady Hamelyanin

MOSCOW, April 01, 18:56 /ITAR-TASS/. Prospects for Russia-Ukraine cooperation will mainly depend on Ukraine’s foreign policy, the Russian Foreign Ministry has said.

The ministry commented on a series of recent statements made by the parliament-appointed acting president, Oleksandr Turchynov.

“While on a trip to the village of Novye Petrovtsy Turchynov said Ukraine was considering the possibility of revising its non-aligned status,” the ministry says.

“A draft law to this effect has been submitted to the Verkhovna Rada,” it says.

“Ukraine’s European integration was raised under Viktor Yushchenko’s presidency. Such a policy froze Russian-Ukrainian political relations and spoiled Russia-NATO contacts. Also, it widened the split in Ukrainian society. A majority of the population is against the idea of Ukraine’s accession to NATO,” the ministry says.

“In 2010 Ukraine approved a law on the foreign policy priorities to proclaim its non-aligned status. The Russia-Ukraine Declaration on Strategic Partnership also refers to Ukraine as a non-aligned state,” it says.

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