MOSCOW, June 24 (RIA Novosti) – Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested that the upper chamber of the Russian parliament, the Federation Council, cancelled its permission for a Russian military action in Ukraine, presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Thursday.
The spokesman said the proposal was aimed at “normalizing and settling the situation in eastern regions of Ukraine and in preparation for the three-party negotiations on this issue.”
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko welcomed the initiative of the Russian leader saying it was a “first practical step” toward reconciliation in eastern Ukraine.
“The Ukrainian president views Vladimir Putin’s address to the Federation Council on cancelling the decision about the use of Russian military forces in Ukraine dated March 1, 2014, as the first practical step that follows the president of Russia’s official support to Ukraine’s peace plan on settling the situation in Donbass,” his office said in a statement.
The Federation Council has already confirmed that it had received Russian President Vladimir Putin’s request and said it would consider it June 25.
“The issue is currently being considered by the chamber’s council, it has been tentatively put on the agenda for tomorrow’s session,” an administrative source in the upper chamber said.
According to Deputy Chairman of the Council of the Federation Committee on International Affairs Andrey Klimov, the measure is likely to be approved by the lawmakers.
Commenting on the decision by President Putin Klimov elaborated that “apparently, the head of the state has every reason to believe that the political situation [in Ukraine] is gradually getting back to normal, negotiations began and the decision on the ceasefire was made.”
Earlier in March, the Russian Parliament voted unanimously to approve the use of military forces in Ukraine in order to stabilize the socio-political situation amid simmering tensions in the country.
