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Russian lawmaker predicts difficulties in relations with Ukraine’s new parliament

Compositions of parliamentary delegations representing Ukraine are frustrating, head of the Foreign Committee in the Russian State Duma said at a meeting of a working group for Ukraine

Alexey Pushkov, head of the Foreign Committee in Russian State Duma ITAR-TASS/Sergei Fadeichev

Alexey Pushkov, head of the Foreign Committee in Russian State Duma

© ITAR-TASS/Sergei Fadeichev

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Russian parliament hopes to resume dialogue with new Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada

MOSCOW, October 29. /TASS/. A senior Russian lawmaker said on Wednesday he expected there would be difficulties in establishing relations with Ukraine's newly elected parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, but Russia was ready “to show goodwill”.

“Compositions of parliamentary delegations representing Ukraine today, also to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), are extremely frustrating,” Alexey Pushkov, head of the Foreign Committee in the Russian parliament's lower house, the State Duma, said at a meeting of a working group for Ukraine. “It will be very difficult for us to come to an agreement with these people.”

“We will hope that although the prospects do not look too promising in my view, as these elections (the October 26 parliamentary elections to the Verkhovna Rada) will single out those political figures who will come to realize that they need to restore Ukraine. And it is impossible to restore it without cooperation with Russia. This is what our European counterparts also say. We are ready to show goodwill to the extent within our control,” Pushkov said.

State Duma Speaker Sergey Naryshkin said earlier in the day Russia’s lower house was prepared for any contacts to restore inter-parliamentary relations with Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada,

“It is to be hoped the newly elected Verkhovna Rada will make its contribution to ending the civil war, resolving the crisis, de-escalating tensions and establishing a normal dialogue between Russia and Ukraine,” he said.

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Foreign policy Ukraine Alexey Pushkov Verkhovna Rada

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