Russia to start preparations for severing adoption deal with U.S. in near future – diplomat

MOSCOW. Dec 26 (Interfax) – Russia will start preparations for launching procedures to invalidate the Russian-U.S. agreement on cooperation in adoption in the near future, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told Interfax on Wednesday.

“We will proceed from realities. We understand the motives that both the State Duma deputies and Federation Council members were guided by in adopting this bill. In the near future, we will do whatever work is necessary to launch the procedure to end the adoption agreement with the U.S.,” Ryabkov said.

“The decision has been made, and we presume that the bill will take effect in the near future after it is signed by the president,” he said.

The Federation Council passed the bill unanimously earlier on Wednesday.

Presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov told journalists earlier that the president could receive the document for signature the same day the Federation Council passed it.

To make a decision on whether to sign it into law, the president has two weeks, Peskov said.