Ukraine to drop Russia ‘friendship’ pact
As 24 navy sailors remain in captivity, parliament votes not to renew agreement
MINSK, Belarus — The Ukrainian parliament on Thursday voted to withdraw from a wide-ranging treaty on friendship with Russia, the latest step in escalating tensions between the two neighbors.
The Supreme Rada overwhelmingly supported a motion by President Petro Poroshenko not to prolong the treaty when it comes up for renewal in April. Dressed in camouflage, the president on Thursday visited an air base to announce an upcoming dispatch of troops to the Russian border.
The Pentagon said an unarmed U.S. Air Force plane with American and international observers took a special flight Thursday over Ukraine in a show of solidarity after Ukraine’s naval confrontation last month with Russia in the Black Sea.
In a statement, the Pentagon called it an “extraordinary” flight under the Open Skies Treaty, which is an international accord that gives each member country the right to conduct, and the obligation to accept, unarmed military observation flights. The purpose to is promote transparency in military activities.
Normally these flights are arranged well in advance. But the treaty also permits “extraordinary,” or extra, flights if two participating members agree. In this case, the Ukrainian military requested a flight and the U.S. agreed to conduct it over an uncontested portion of Ukraine territory, according to Eric Pahon, a Pentagon spokesman.
The Navy, meanwhile, is expected to sail a warship into the Black Sea later this month, a passage that American ships have done a number of times this year. The transit would be another signal of military support for Ukraine.
The U.S. has notified Turkey of the plan, which is part of the required process, U.S. officials said. It kicks off a 15day wait before the ship can move into the Black Sea. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss future ship movements.
The long-simmering conflict between Russia and Ukraine that started with Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 spilled into the open on Nov. 25 when the Russian coast guard fired upon and seized three Ukrainian naval vessels and their crews. The seamen are still in Russian captivity.
Ukraine’s foreign minister on Thursday reiterated his country’s call for the release and safe return of the 24 Ukrainian sailors.
Pavlo Klimkin in a speech at the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe warned that since the Crimean annexation, Russia has not pulled back but, on the contrary, has extended operations into the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.
With the Ukraine-Russia conflict at the top of the Or- ganization for Security and Cooperation agenda, the EU’s high representative, Federica Mogherini, on Thursday also called on Russia to release the Ukrainian ships and soldiers “without delay.”
Poroshenko responded to the standoff by introducing martial law for 30 days, something Ukraine hadn’t done even after Crimea’s annexation and during large-scale fighting between Ukrainian forces and Russia-backed separatists in 2014-2015.
As part of martial law, Ukraine has beefed up its forces on the border with Russia, called up reservists for training and barred entry to all Russian men between 16 and 60 years old.
Poroshenko in an opinion piece published Thursday in The New York Times called on the West to respond to what he described as Russia’s aggression by imposing additional sanctions on the Kremlin.
“Our common task is not to allow Russia to spill its aggression into the Sea of Azov,” he said. “While the West is speaking, Mr. Putin is acting. It is time to respond.”
Poroshenko on Thursday visited a military air base in the city of Zhytomyr where troops were preparing to leave for locations on the border with Russia “in order to strengthen our defense capabilities and be ready to stop the aggressor without losing a second.”
The Ukrainian parliament voted Thursday on the friendship treaty and also adopted a bill that unilaterally doubles the extent of Ukraine’s territorial waters to 24 nautical miles.
Ukrainian authorities say this will allow the coast guard and the navy to be more efficient in patrolling the area to prevent military threats and smuggling. The bill also allows Ukrainian border guards to open fire without warning on potential attackers.