Kremlin Hopes Europe will Sway Kiev on Language Law

MOSCOW – The Kremlin hopes that Europe will put pressure on Kiev to make it restore the rights of Ukrainians violated by the controversial language law, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the media on Wednesday.

“Russia has repeatedly raised the issue vigorously and proactively in its contacts with the European leaders,” he said. “We hope that they will be able to use their influence on the Ukrainian side to promote the observance of these rights.”

“We would like to see the rights of ethnic minorities guaranteed in Ukraine,” Peskov said. “We know how many people speak Russian in Ukraine and, of course, we would like to see the rights of these people respected. Regrettably, the situation leaves much to be desired for now.”

On May 15, Ukraine’s the then President Pyotr Poroshenko signed a law obliging all of the country’s citizens to use Ukrainian in all spheres of life. The founder of the Ukrainian party Opposition Platform – For Life, Yuri Boiko, said the law contradicted international law and promised that the opposition would demand the law’s cancellation by the Constitutional Court.

The United States, France, Britain, Poland, Belgium and Germany on March 20 blocked Russia-initiated emergency meeting over the adoption of this law in Ukraine. Russia, China, South African the Dominican Republic and Equatorial Guinea were for such a meeting.

TASS

R.S