KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Ukraine has terminated, denounced, or withdrawn from 116 international agreements linked to the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).
• The decision covers agreements with Russia, Belarus, and multilateral CIS frameworks.
• Officials describe the move as completing the main phase of dismantling Ukraine’s post-Soviet legal ties.
• The government says the legal framework must reflect Ukraine’s European future and wartime realities.

Ukraine has completed another major step in severing its legal ties with the post-Soviet space after the government approved the termination of 116 international agreements involving Russia, Belarus, and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Officials say the decision aligns Ukraine’s legal framework with its European integration goals and the realities created by Russia’s full-scale invasion.

Ending the Remaining CIS Legal Ties

The package approved by the Cabinet of Ministers includes the termination of 25 agreements, denunciation of three treaties, and withdrawal from 88 additional international agreements.

According to Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, the measures affect five agreements with Russia, 23 with Belarus, 87 concluded within the CIS framework, and one trilateral agreement involving all three countries.

Aligning Ukraine’s Laws With a European Future

The Foreign Ministry said Ukraine’s international treaty system must reflect the country’s new security priorities and strategic orientation toward Europe.

Officials described the decision as part of a broader effort to remove outdated legal mechanisms that no longer correspond to Ukraine’s geopolitical position following Russia’s invasion.

A Process Years in the Making

Ukraine effectively ceased participating in CIS governing bodies in 2018, but many legacy agreements remained formally in force.

Over the past several years, Kyiv has gradually withdrawn from dozens of treaties covering areas such as security cooperation, transportation, cultural exchanges, and administrative coordination inherited from the post-Soviet period.

Symbolic and Practical Significance

Analysts view the move as both a legal and symbolic milestone.

Beyond reducing formal links with Russia and Belarus, the decision reinforces Ukraine’s long-term strategy of integrating with European institutions while replacing outdated post-Soviet legal structures with agreements that better reflect its current foreign policy objectives.