EU favors Putin’s initiative

The European Union welcomes Russian President Vladimir Putin’s initiative to have a legislative permission for Russian military action in Ukraine revoked, a spokeswoman for Europe’s foreign policy chief said Tuesday, according to RIA Novosti.

“The EU has consistently called on Russia to cancel the mandate of the Federation Council to use force on Ukrainian soil. We welcome steps President Putin has taken in this direction and hope they will be completed without delay,” said Maja Kocijancic, a spokeswoman for the EU high representative for foreign affairs, Catherine Ashton.

According to Kocijancic, the European Union is also urging Russia to contribute to implementation of the peace plan for the settlement of the Ukrainian conflict outlined last week by Petro Poroshenko.

“We also call on Russia to support the implementation of peace plan presented by President Poroshenko and to adopt effective measures to stop the continued flow of illegal fighters, arms and equipment over the border to Ukraine, to influence the separatist to stop the violence and to continue withdrawing the troops near the border,” the EU official stressed.

Earlier on Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin submitted a proposal to cancel the permission for a Russian military action in Ukraine to the upper chamber of the Russian parliament, the Federation Council.