Lavrov: The European Union has turned into a hostile political-military platform

Dushanbe (ST): Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stressed that the European Union has turned from an economic platform to a hostile political-military platform that moves outside Europe’s borders, which suggests that Kiev’s desire to join it is not innocent.

Lavrov said during a press conference today after a meeting of CIS foreign ministers in the Tajik capital Dushanbe: “Russia does not interfere in the relations between Ukraine and the European Union, but Kiev’s desire to join the Union is not innocent and raises serious doubts for us after it has turned from an economic platform into a hostile political-military platform”. 

Regarding the possibility of finding a diplomatic solution to the crisis in Ukraine, Lavrov explained that “there is no possibility for this solution now,” noting that despite the public statements of the Ukrainian leadership, it announces in its contacts with Russia that it agrees to obtain a neutral status and not to join any bloc.

Lavrov pointed out that the West uses sanctions as a tool to impose its agendas and is trying to pressure the Commonwealth of Independent States to destabilize relations between its countries, explaining that the CIS foreign ministers unanimously agree that unilateral sanctions are unacceptable and affirm unequivocally their commitment to developing cooperation among them.

K.Q.