Ukrainian Foreign Minister Boris Tarasiuk has told parliament that Ukraine has no intention of reconsidering or severing the agreement with Russia on the presence of the Black Sea Fleet in the Crimea, according to Itar-Tass.
“We have not discussed the possibility of severing the agreement that allows the Black Sea Fleet to be based in the Crimea and we shall not discuss it. The agreement must be honored by both Ukraine and Russia,” he said.
Under the bilateral arrangement on the status and terms of presence of the Russian Black Sea Fleet in Ukrainian territory of May 28, 1997 the Black Sea Fleet shall stay in Sevastopol till 2017. Under the base agreements Russia is to pay Ukraine an annual 97 million dollars a year. The money offsets part of Ukraine’s debt to Russia for fuel. At the moment the Black Sea Fleet agreement was signed in 1997 Ukraine owed Russia 3.74 billion dollars.
