Ukraine should legally protect areas in eastern Ukraine occupied presently by the Russian Federation, Deputy Chairwoman of the Verkhovna Rada Oksana Syroyid has said.

"The only way out is to take a legal decision, to lawfully recognize the occupation of some areas of Ukraine's eastern regions by Russia and to declare this, " Syroid told 112.Ukraina TV Channel on Sunday evening.

She said if Ukraine fulfills the requirements of the Russian Federation [provides special status of the part of Donbas territory, a full amnesty to militants and holds of elections in Ukraine’s uncontrolled part of Luhansk and Donetsk regions], it will lead to legal capitulation.

"The fact that Russia insists on it is a plan of legal capitulation. This is not the implementation of the Minsk agreements, not a legal decision of the conflict. This is a very common capitulation. And this indicates that the path that was chosen was wrong," Syroid said.

According to Syroid, Ukraine should change its strategy on settling the military conflict in the east of the country.