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Ban Ki-moon says Ukraine has right to determine its future abandoning its off-bloc status

On Tuesday, Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada (parliament) voted for renouncing the country’s off-bloc status

UNITED NATIONS, December 23. /TASS/. United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon thinks that Ukraine, as a sovereign state, has the right to determine its future by itself, Ban’s Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said on Tuesday, commenting on the Ukrainian parliament’s decision to renounce the country’s off-bloc status.

On Tuesday, Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada (parliament) voted for renouncing the country’s off-bloc status. The bill submitted to the parliament by President Pyotr Poroshenko provided for the abandonment of the off-bloc status and embarking on a course towards NATO.

Commenting on this decision, Vladimir Dzhabarov, first deputy chairman of the international committee of Russia’s Federation Council upper parliament house, told TASS it was another Ukraine’s step away from Russia. “This is another step Ukraine has made away from Russia to demonstrate its NATO-wards aspirations,” he said. “But I am not sure NATO is waiting for Ukraine with outstretched arms.”.

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