Ukrainian MP: Severing diplomatic ties with Russia at this stage not beneficial for Ukraine
In an interview with LB.ua, Head of the Verkohvna Rada Committee on matters of National Security and Defense Serhiy Pashynsky believes that breaking off diplomatic relations with Russia would not be beneficial for Ukraine at this stage.
“Such [an amendment to sever diplomatic ties with Russia] cannot be included. In order to do this, the law on the Cabinet of Ministers needs to be revoked. An executive organ can be created in the Verkhovna Rada. Do you know that we have masses of MPs who don’t read laws, they don’t read anything at all. Do we have a constitution? Change the constitution, and then we will sever diplomatic ties through the Verkhovna Rada,” Pashynsky commented.
He also emphasized that in this regard it is imperative to be guided primarily by national interests.
“In political and legal rulings we must not proceed on the basis of false assumptions, but based on Ukraine’s interests. At this stage, severing diplomatic ties with Russia would not be beneficial. In the actual law on de-occupation we are proposing a policy of legal methods to bring back [the territories], and they entail diplomacy. Are we saying that we will bring back the territories through diplomatic means and break off diplomatic relations?” he observed.
Andriy Teteruk, a member of the committee on national security and defense, also commented on LB.ua that on Friday a work group had gathered to work on amendments to the bill on the reintegration of the Donbas. He hopes that the bill will be included in the second reading in the Rada on Tuesday or Thursday.
Teteruk also observed that the bill on the reintegration of the separatist-held territories will refer to the fact that the Crimea and the Donetsk and Luhansk provinces are occupied territories.
“In the bill we will refer to the fact that the Donetsk and Luhansk provinces and the Autonomous Republic of Crimea are occupied territories. A work group met on Friday. They worked on all the amendments which were presented, so that on Monday at 14:30, during the next session, we will have already determined what we support and what we do not support. We think that the bill will be reviewed in the Verkhovna Rada on Tuesday or Thursday. We will adopt it, we will definitely adopt it,” Teteruk added.
The amendment to break off diplomatic ties with Russia was introduced by MP Ivan Vynnyk. The document was accepted in the first reading.
President Poroshenko rejected the idea of severing diplomatic ties with Russia.