The signing effectively signaled Moscow's recognition of Ukraine's sovereignty. Until 1991, when it declared its independence, Ukraine was a part of the Soviet Union. It is scheduled for a ratification vote in the Federation Council at the end of this month.
Approval there appears uncertain, however, owing to growing opposition in both countries.
Earlier this week, Russian news agencies reported from Ukraine that the local Slavic Party had sent a letter to Russian Federation Council chairman Yegor Stroyev and Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov appealing for the rejection of the treaty. Luzhkov is a powerful figure in Russian politics. A likely candidate in the next presidential election, he is a member of the Federation Council and is known to be reluctant to recognize Ukraine's territorial and political separateness. Baburin justified his plea with a two-fold argument. The matter in question is the future of the close-knit Slav people.