The Commonwealth of Independent States remains open for the full participation of Ukraine and Moldova in joint work; they legally and de facto remain part of the CIS. This was stated by CIS Secretary-General Sergey Lebedev in an interview with RIA Novosti in response to a question about interaction with these two countries, which are practically not participating in the work of CIS structures.
As Sergey Lebedev noted, the CIS is not only a system of working bodies but also a body of legal institutions – over 550 interstate treaties and agreements establishing mutual rights and obligations for their participants.
“Without withdrawing from the majority of such documents, the Moldovan and Ukrainian sides recognize their obligations under them. Moreover, the Commonwealth's international legal framework continues to play an important role in relations of Moldova and Ukraine with most CIS member states, particularly in Central Asia and the South Caucasus”, added Sergey Lebedev.