You're reading: Rada votes to scrap Ukrainian-Russian Friendship Agreement

Almost five years into Russia’s war against Ukraine, the Ukrainian parliament has adopted a bill to terminate the Agreement on Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership with Russia on April 1, 2019.

The bill was submitted by President Petro Poroshenko, and 277 deputies voted in favor. Seventeen members of Opposition Bloc and three independent deputies voted against it.

The Friendship Agreement, signed on April 1, 1999, will now not be renewed automatically after the expiration of the 10-year period since its last automatic renewal.

“We are following the procedure of termination or non-continuation, but not denunciation,” said Hanna Hopko, head of the parliamentary committee on foreign affairs, at the proceedings. “If there were a denunciation, Russia might not recognize a unilateral termination.”

Under the agreement, Ukraine and Russia agreed upon strategic partnership and cooperation, recognized the inviolability of their existing borders and territorial integrity, and rejected the use of force, external interference, and economic pressure.

“The termination of the Agreement … considering its continuous violation by Russian Federation … will allow Ukraine to protect its national interests in international relations properly and effectively,” says the bill’s explanatory note, which was signed by Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin.

Russia received a note about the discontinuation of the Agreement by Ukraine on Sept. 24, more than six months in advance, as required by the procedure for terminating the agreement. Poroshenko on Sept. 17 signed a decree drawn up by the country’s National Security and Defense Council on terminating the agreement.