"Ukraine's stance remains invariable: the Russian Black Sea Fleet must leave Ukraine's territory after May 28, 2017. This is a requirement of the Ukrainian Constitution which says that no foreign military base is permitted to be deployed in the territory of our state," a commentary of Ukraine's MFA Spokesman Vasyl Kyrylych reads in view of a statement made by the Russian Foreign Minister on October 22 saying Russia means to propose Ukraine to prolong the term of the RBSF stationing in Crimea after 2017.
Vasyl Kyrylych reminded that the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has repeatedly spoken about the impossibility to prolong the term of the RBSF temporary deployment in Ukraine's territory and "this issue cannot be a subject of discussions," the MFA Spokesman underscored.
"We offer clear and comprehensive logics of actions: to coordinate in advance all the components of the RBSF withdrawal from Ukraine - both military-technical and social. Such an approach will make impossible rhetoric on unreadiness or unexpectedness of the withdrawal of the RBSF military formations from the territory of our state," the commentary reads.
Vasyl Kyrylych also stressed that statements made by Russia's officials on the advisability to hold talks on the RBSF withdrawal at a later stage will not have influence on the terms of the RBSF stationing in Ukraine, but they can hamper the process of timely and integrated preparation for the withdrawal of military formations of the Russian party.
The Ukrainian MFA also said that change of governments in Ukraine or any other domestic political processes will not serve a basis for changing Ukraine's stance on the RBSF.
