Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister Volodymyr Omelyan opposes holding talks with Russia on the resumption of air travel between the two countries until Crimea and eastern parts of Ukraine are returned to the structure of Ukraine, he has told Interfax-Ukraine.

“After the return of the occupied Crimea and eastern areas of Ukraine, the payment of reparations for almost 400 years of occupation, we will definitely return to negotiations with Russia, Tatarstan, Chechnya and Siberia on the issue of flying over their territories and allowing the aviation companies of these countries to fly over the territory of Ukraine,” the minister said.

As reported, in response to the Ukrainian authorities’ prohibition of direct charter air travel between Ukraine and Russia approved on April 3, Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsia) proposed that negotiations be conducted and air travel be resumed on a regular and charter basis between Russia and Ukraine in full.