It is unclear yet whether Ukraine applies officially for withdrawal from CIS

MOSCOW, March 20 (Itar-Tass) - It is unclear yet whether Ukraine applied officially for withdrawal from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a meeting over ratification of the Treaty on reunification of the Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol with Russia at State Duma lower house of parliament on Thursday. “Literally today or tomorrow permanent representatives of the CIS states will meet in Minsk to discuss this situation in detail,” the Russian foreign minister said. The minister noted that senior officials from the Ukrainian National Security and Defence Council which belong to party Svoboda (freedom) and ultra-nationalistic movement Right Sector had made statements over Ukraine’s withdrawal from the CIS and introduction of visa regime with Russia. “If governmental coalition in Ukraine is based on its forcible part from party Svoboda and Right Sector, I believe that we will hear quite many more similar statements,” Lavrov said.