Russia Moves to Scrap Black Sea Fleet Agreements with Ukraine [View all]
Source: RIA Novosti
MOSCOW, March 28 (RIA Novosti) - Russia has begun preparations for terminating bilateral agreements with Ukraine related to the status and operation of the Black Sea Fleet, a Kremlin spokesman said Friday.
The decision was made at a meeting of the country's Security Council chaired by President Vladimir Putin.
According to spokesman Dmitry Peskov, the measures to be scrapped include a 1997 agreement on the conditions of the fleet's stay in Crimea, which was extended by 25 years in a 2010 deal by Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych.
In exchange, Ukraine received a discount of $100 on each 1,000 cubic meters of natural gas imported from Russia, which was provided for by cutting export duties on the gas, money that would have gone into the Russian state budget.
A bill to void the agreements was submitted to the lower chamber of the Russian parliament, the State Duma, on Friday afternoon.
Read more: http://en.ria.ru/russia/20140328/188845956/Russia-Moves-to-Scrap-Black-Sea-Fleet-Agreements-with-Ukraine.html
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