Ukraine seeks to terminate free trade deal with Belarus

Ukrainian soldiers rest as they construct shelters for new defensive line near Belarus border in Chornobyl exclusion zone

File photo: Ukrainian soldiers rest as they construct shelters for new defensive line, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, near Belarus border in Chornobyl exclusion zone, Ukraine December 14, 2023. REUTERS/Gleb Garanich/File photo

Source: X00550

Ukraine's government has proposed to parliament terminating a free trade agreement with Belarus, which supports Russia's invasion of Ukraine that began in February 2022, cabinet minister Taras Melnychuk said on Monday.

The move to cancel the agreement was taken "in connection with a fundamental change of circumstances.... involvement of the Republic of Belarus in the illegal use of force against Ukraine", he said on the Telegram messaging app.

The government proposes terminating the free trade agreement of December 1992 and two protocols related to the treaty. After Russia's invasion, Ukraine suspended its trade relations with Minsk.

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Under Ukrainian law, interstate agreements must be terminated by parliament.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Belarus remained one of Ukraine's main trading partners, supplying significant amounts of fuel and fertilisers to Kyiv.

This article was produced by Reuters news agency. It has not been edited by Global South World.

By Reuters