Ukrainian politicians and diplomats should work to build relations with Russia, and not talk about receiving compensation from the European Union, said RT member of the Federation Council Committee on Foreign Affairs, Crimean Senator Sergei Tsekov.
“It would be more correct for the Ukrainian politicians in the current situation, of course, to stop such reasoning and think how to build normal relations with Russia as quickly as possible. Taking such a position, they continue to lose in the economy and in many other areas. The top of the Ukrainian political community continues to say stupid things, ”the senator explained.
Earlier, Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine for European and Euro-Atlantic integration, Dmitry Kuleba, said that the country is “five years old” ready for the European Union to cease to extend sanctions against Russia.
“But the main thing for us is that we are ready for any scenario. And we understand that this can happen ... The desire to lift the sanctions appeared the very day after the adoption of the sanctions. All these five years, someone tried to slightly or strongly influence this, ”Kuleba said in an interview with RBC-Ukraine (located in the register of prohibited sites of Roskomnadzor at the request of the Prosecutor General).
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At the same time, according to him, at the moment in Brussels they are not sending “any signals” that there will be no prolongation of restrictive measures. He also emphasized that the task of Ukrainian diplomats is to prevent the lifting of restrictions without the implementation of the Minsk agreements, as well as to receive from the European Union "the maximum level of compensation in any form that is subject to negotiation."
“There is aggression, there is a violation by one country of the basic legal order of the entire continent, so sanctions were imposed. If you decide to remove it without any reason, then you need some compensators. But the first task is to prevent the lifting of sanctions, ”said the Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine.
The EU sanctions regime against Russia was introduced in the spring and summer of 2014. Restrictive measures apply in three independent areas - sectoral (extended until January 31, 2020) and personal (effective until March 15, 2020), as well as restrictions against Crimea and Sevastopol (extended until June 23, 2020).
As a response, Moscow imposed a food embargo, which expires on December 31, 2020. However, Russian President Vladimir Putin noted that the Russian side would give up restrictions if the EU waives its own sanctions.
“Look, according to expert data, as a result of all these restrictions, Russia has lost around $ 50 billion somewhere since 2014, the European Union lost $ 240 billion, the United States - $ 17 billion (we have a small trade turnover with them), Japan - $ 27 billion. This nevertheless affects jobs in these countries, including the EU countries: they are losing our market, ”Putin pointed out in a direct line.
At the same time, in several European countries - in particular, in Germany, France, Italy - they repeatedly called on the EU to abandon sanctions restrictions on Russia.
“Everyone begs money supposedly for the development of Ukraine”
According to Anton Morozov, a member of the State Duma’s Foreign Affairs Committee, the constant solicitation of money has already become a habit among Ukrainian politicians.
“It seems to me that from a purely moral point of view, such a statement seems unworthy. Not to mention the interests of the state of Ukraine itself. The officials who came to power as a result of the 2014 coup d'etat constantly stand with outstretched hands, and everyone begs for money supposedly for the development of Ukraine. In fact, there is reason to believe that they simply put them in their pockets, ”the deputy said in a conversation with RT.
It is time for Kiev to abandon the idea that the sanctions policy against Russia is their trump card, said State Duma deputy from Crimea Ruslan Balbek. According to him, Ukraine is mistaken if they believe that this issue can affect Moscow.
“In addition, it should be noted that if by lifting the restrictions official Kiev means the return of the Crimea, then this dream is better to forget and say goodbye to it forever. Crimeans made their choice after the coup in Ukraine in a conscious and democratic way. So if a Ukrainian official hopes for some compensation, then they should ask their former associates who overthrew the legitimately elected President Yanukovych, ”the parliamentarian said in an interview with RT.