One cannot talk about the appointment of a new ambassador to Kyiv in a situation when there are no normal relations with Russia, Volodymyr Aryev, a member of the Verkhovna Rada committee on foreign affairs and of the Petro Poroshenko Bloc faction, said.
“Bearing in mind the current situation, my opinion as a member of the committee is that no agreement should be given to any Russian representatives. Because the level and presence of an ambassador should indicate good-neighborly, just normal relations between countries. There can be no such relations with Russia for as long as part of our territory remains occupied,” Aryev told Interfax-Ukraine on July 29.
“In this case, one can talk about a charge d’affaires ad interim, not an ambassador,” Aryev said.
At the same time, he said the issue of authorization of the appointment of a new Russian ambassador in Kyiv lies in the terms of reference of the Ukrainian foreign minister and president.
A source in the Russian State Duma committee on international affairs earlier told Interfax that the candidacy of Mikhail Babich, Russian presidential envoy in the Volga Federal District, had been submitted for the post of Russian ambassador to Ukraine.
