The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has decided to terminate the Agreement between the Governments of Ukraine and the Russian Federation on the organization of direct secret telephone communications between Kiev and Moscow of February 27, 1998.

The corresponding resolution, submitted to the government by the Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine for Innovation, Education, Science and Technology Mykhailo Fedorov, was adopted on August 30.

The explanatory note to the resolution states that it was prepared by the Administration of the State Service for Special Communications in order to implement the action plan for Ukraine’s withdrawal from bilateral and multilateral agreements with the Russian Federation, the Republic of Belarus and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).

The agreement defines the organizational principles and obligations for the establishment of a permanent secret telephone connection for confidential negotiations between heads of state and the organization of intergovernmental communications.

Fedorov notes that “the Agreement has lost its relevance, since the cooperation mechanisms provided for in it are not used by the parties,” and “fulfillment of obligations under the Agreement poses a threat to the national interests of Ukraine.”

Now the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine must notify the Russian government of the termination of the Agreement.