MFA: Belarus ready to take over Ukraine's chairmanship in CIS

Belarus regrets Ukraine’s decision to quit the Commonwalth of Independent States (CIS) but treats it with understanding.

Dzmitry Mironchyk: “We are considering variants of further functioning of the organization and the possibility of Belarus presiding in the Commonwealth of Independent States until the end of 2014. It needs to be approved by the other member states and the other presiding country – Kazakhstan.”

Ukraine introduced a visa regime for Russia and left the CIS grouping on March 19. The decision was made by the Ukrainian National Security and Defence Council after Russia annexed Crimea.