Ukraine gets note from Russia over non-extension of key friendship treaty

Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-13 03:30:32|Editor: yan
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KIEV, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Ukraine has received a diplomatic note from Russia regarding the non-extension of the Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership between the two countries, Ukraine's Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin said on Tuesday.

The document, which contains 12 pages, is an answer to the Ukrainian decision to terminate the treaty, Klimkin wrote on Facebook, without giving details.

Later in the day, Olena Zerkal, Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister, said that the note contains a confirmation that this treaty will cease to be effective on April 1.

Under the agreement, which was signed in 1997 and took effect on April 1, 1999, Kiev and Moscow pledged to respect each other's borders and to peacefully settle disputes.

The agreement includes a clause that it automatically extends each 10 years if neither of the parties takes actions to end it.

In September last year, Ukraine officially notified Russia of the intention to withdraw from the friendship treaty.

Three months later, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko signed a law to terminate the treaty, saying that it is "a part of the Ukrainian strategy of reorientation towards Europe."

Relations between Kiev and Moscow have been deteriorating since early 2014 over Crimea and eastern Ukraine.

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