Ukraine’s law on indigenous peoples runs counter to international humanitarian law, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an interview with Rossiya TV channel. According to him, dividing people into certain categories is reminiscent of the theories and practice of Nazi Germany. The president believes that this law will force local citizens of the neighboring state to move abroad or rewrite their nationality. Besides, Putin said Kiev was not willing to fulfill the Minsk peace deal and also commented on Kiev’s possible accession to NATO. He pointed out that the discussion on Ukraine joining NATO was not just idle talk, especially given that bringing the alliance’s military infrastructure closer to Russia’s borders would cut the time it takes missiles to reach Moscow.
Chairman of the Committee for CIS Affairs, Eurasian Integration and Relations with Compatriots of the State Duma Leonid Kalashnikov told Izvestia that the law on indigenous peoples poses a threat to Russians in Ukraine. “All this should be seen as a political move. They need to draw the world community’s attention”.
According to Director of the Institute for Peacekeeping Initiatives and Conflictology Denis Denisov, the hype over this Ukrainian law is excessive. He believes that this document is aimed at three peoples living in Crimea and is absurd in its sense. “The authors of the law just outlined their view on the term “indigenous peoples.” The document neither has Russian nor Polish, Bulgarian, Hungarian and other Ukrainian peoples. Meanwhile, the law cannot be implemented since Kiev is not controlling Crimea,” he told the newspaper.
The expert also noted that Ukraine has not received the NATO Membership Action Plan yet. Amid US statements on the need for dialogue with Russia on strategic stability, the issue on this action plan for Ukraine is insignificant. Moreover, Washington says that there won’t be such a plan. “France, Germany and others are against this. They are not ready to provide the membership action plan, they believe this is inadvisable”.
From Tass News Agency
