Peace agreements should not violate Ukraine’s Constitution – Merezhko
Any peace agreements should not violate the Constitution of Ukraine, Oleksandr Merezhko (Servant of the People faction), chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Foreign Policy and Interparliamentary Cooperation, has said.
"Any agreements should not violate the Constitution of Ukraine and the principles of international law... In this situation, it is important for us to continue to insist on the observance by all states of the world, including the United States, of the principle of Ukraine's territorial integrity and respect for Ukraine's sovereignty," Merezhko told Interfax-Ukraine on Monday.
He recalled the official US position on the status of Crimea, which is to support Ukraine's territorial integrity.
"The US has always officially stated that Crimea is Ukraine and continues to adhere to the policy of non-recognition of Russia's attempted annexation of Crimea. Back during Donald Trump's first presidential term, the United States adopted the Crimean Declaration, which confirmed non-recognition of the attempted annexation of Crimea. In addition, the United States has always voted in the UN General Assembly in support of resolutions on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine," Merezhko emphasized.
Commenting on the exclusion of the possibility of Ukraine joining NATO, which was also proposed by the US as part of the peace agreement, the politician said: "As for NATO, the joint declaration of the Vilnius NATO summit clearly states that Ukraine is on an irreversible path to NATO. The US must respect this, as well as respect Ukraine's sovereign right to decide independently which international organization to join."
Merezhko also noted that control over the Zaporizha Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) should be returned to Ukraine, as this is required by both international law and security considerations.
"Leaving the ZNPP in the hands of a nuclear terrorist, such as Russia, is extremely dangerous for Europe and the whole world," the MP noted. As reported, the US has proposed a version of the peace plan that includes recognition of the Russian annexation of Crimea and the exclusion of the possibility of Ukraine joining NATO. Washington also proposed making the territory around the ZNPP neutral under US control.