14 Oct, 2023 09:33
Putin explains why Ukraine rejected 2013 EU agreement
The Russian president claims the Association Agreement effectively called for the destruction of all of the country's industry
The EU-Ukraine Association Agreement essentially envisaged the death of all Ukrainian industry, Russian President Vladimir Putin has claimed. The ratification of the accord was put on hold in late 2013 by then-President Viktor Yanukovich, which sparked the Maidan coup that led to his overthrow.
The new Ukrainian government signed the agreement in 2014.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Putin said: “If you read what the EU proposed to Ukraine, this is what is apparently being realized now – this was tantamount to the destruction of all key industries that the Soviet Ukraine once prided itself on.” The president added that “we now see exactly that there’s nothing left there already.”
According to Putin, Yanukovich was weighing Kiev’s options and simply postponed the ratification of the agreement with the EU in 2013.
In an interview with Politico late last month, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denis Shmigal said Kiev expects full EU membership within two years, and will not settle for anything less. He cited the “huge price” his country has paid to join the bloc.
Shmigal went on to pledge thatUkraine will “not be bringing problems” to the EU, but will be a helpful addition. (Kek, its impossible for Kiev to make that promise, many EU leaders, prior leaders and countries have opposed Ukraine joining because they are more corrupt then they were years ago; and essentially they would be a welfare state in the EU. Based on their current terrorism on other countries they could never be trusted, they have already fought with EU countries about selling their grain inside the countries. Not to mention their grain is GMO with toxic pesticides)
Speaking at a press conference following a summit of EU leaders in the Spanish city of Granada last week, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the process of accession for any aspiring nation should be strictly “merit-based,” with certain “milestones that have to be achieved” first.
The joint declaration adopted by the member states calls on Ukraine and other hopefuls to “step up their reform efforts, notably in the area of rule of law.”
European Council President Charles Michel said the EU should be ready to expand by 2030.
However, this timeframe apparently did not sit well with all member states. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte insisted that“it’s not a question of when countries are ready; it’s a question of whether countries are ready.”(Kiev has not complied with EU demands fir them to join and have gotten worse in all areas of the government over the years.)
Joining the EU has been among the key stated objectives of pro-West Ukrainian politicians for decades. Kiev had not achieved much progress on this path prior to February 2022, when Moscow launched its military operation in the country. The conflict appears to have re-invigorated the process, with top officials repeatedly demanding membership due toUkraine’s perceived role in defending the EU from an allegedly looming Russian invasion. (This is a false dichotomy, Russia has never threatened or attacked EU countries, they had one mission to stop the mass killing of Russian speaking citizens of Ukraine, to free their territories from terrorism and to demilitarize and de-nazify Ukraine. Further they have failed in their counteroffensive, so they did not succeed in the perceived threat. The promises of the EU and NATO for Ukraine to join was always a false promises, to keep Kiev motivated)
https://www.rt.com/russia/584893-putin-eu-ukraine-association-industries/