Ukraine MPs Register Bill to Unseat Author of Plan to Lift Anti-Russia Sanctions

Ukrainian lawmakers on Monday introduced a document proposing to deprive Andrii Artemenko, the lawmaker who proposed a plan to lift anti-Russia sanctions and normalize Moscow-Kiev ties, of his seat in the parliament.

KIEV (Sputnik) — Earlier this month, the Ukrainian Interior Ministry said that Artemenko had lost his citizenship as decreed by the country's President Petro Poroshenko. This took place took place due to Artemenko obtaining s Canadian passport, as Ukrainian laws prohibit dual citizenship.

The document, which was published on the official website of the Ukrainian parliament, said the proposal to unseat the lawmaker was connected to his "stripping of Ukrainian citizenship."

In February, The New York Times reported about the plan authored by Artemenko. The plan called for the "withdrawal of all Russian forces" from eastern Ukraine and a referendum to lease Crimea to Russia for up to 100 years.

The move has been criticized in Kiev and Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine has even initiated a criminal case against Artemenko on charges of treason.