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Ukraine to review, axe treaties with Russia

Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Vasily Bondar also noted that Kiev is not going down the path of "radical and emotional steps" which can affect its citizens

Ukrainian Foreign Ministry EPA/SERGEY DOLZHENKO

Ukrainian Foreign Ministry

© EPA/SERGEY DOLZHENKO

KIEV, June 22. /TASS/. Ukraine continues revision of bilateral documents signed with Russia and intends to quit another part of Ukrainian-Russian treaties, Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Vasily Bondar said.

"Before the war (Donbass conflict - TASS), we had 453 signed bilateral agreements. Now, there are around 300 still in force, but we are continuing revision of what we can abandon," he said in an interview published by Ukrinform newspaper Monday.

At the same time, he noted that Kiev is not going down the path of "radical and emotional steps" which can affect its citizens. "We did not sever diplomatic ties with Russia, did not end our diplomatic presence in Russia. Therefore, Ukrainian citizens could freely move there and could apply for protection when there," the deputy minister said.

According to him, should all agreements with Russia have been cancelled, a difficult situation would emerge in trying to protect Ukrainian citizens’ interests in Russia. "We have millions of people - both Ukrainians citizens and ethnic Ukrainians - living in Russia," Bondar added.

In light of this, Bondar underscored that "treaty base with CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States - TASS) and particularly bilateral one" is in place with Russia. "However, our ministries and agencies are gradually revisiting them (agreements and treaties - TASS) to optimize them and leave minimally possible documents which would allow us to preserve the necessary level of protection of rights and interests of Ukrainian citizens," the deputy minister concluded.

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