Ukraine withdraws from CIS deals on joint air defense, deportees' rights, cultural property return – decrees

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has signed a decree on Ukraine's withdrawal from the Agreement on the Establishment of an Integrated Air Defense System of the Member States of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).

"Withdraw from the Agreement on the Establishment of an Integrated Air Defense System of the CIS Member States, concluded on February 10, 1995, in Almaty," according to the text of Decree No. 203/2026 dated February 25, published on the president's website.

In addition, Zelenskyy signed a separate Decree No. 202/2026 On withdrawal from certain international treaties of Ukraine within the CIS, which provides for withdrawal from 30 such treaties.

In particular, Ukraine is withdrawing from the agreement on the return of cultural and historical property to states of origin, concluded on February 14, 1992, in Minsk.

Ukraine is also withdrawing from the decision on an agreement on issues related to the restoration of the rights of deported persons, national minorities and peoples, adopted on May 17, 1996, in Moscow.

Under this decree, Ukraine is withdrawing from the decision on participation of CIS member states in the treaty between the USSR and the United States on the limitation of anti-ballistic missile systems; the decision on participation of CIS member states in the treaty between the USSR and the United States on the elimination of their intermediate-range and shorter-range missiles; as well as the decision on controlling the international transfer of man-portable air defense missile systems of the Igla and Strela types.

Ukraine is also withdrawing from the 1991 agreement on CIS coordinating institutions; decisions approving the regulations on permanent plenipotentiary representatives of CIS member states to the statutory and other bodies of the Commonwealth; on interaction among member states within the OSCE; on the Council of Heads of Security Bodies and Special Services of CIS member states; on the concept of interaction among CIS member states in combating crime; on the concept of cooperation in countering illicit drug trafficking; on the further development of cooperation in countering international terrorism; on the concept of cooperation in countering illegal migration; and on the concept of cooperation in combating crimes involving the use of information technologies.

Ukraine is withdrawing from CIS member-state agreements on groups of military observers and collective peacekeeping forces in the CIS; on law enforcement bodies in the Joint Armed Forces and the armed forces of CIS member states; on the military oath in strategic forces; on the principles of providing the armed forces of CIS member states with armaments, equipment and materiel; on organizing production activities of repair enterprises; on research and development and experimental design work; as well as a number of related protocols.