Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba called on Western states to cast aside doubts and provide the country with a "European perspective."

He stated this to reporters during an online briefing following the results of the Munich Security Conference.

“Yesterday, at all meetings with European colleagues that I had in Munich, I said very simple words to them: colleagues, it's time to give Ukraine a European perspective.

Clearly define and clearly say that Ukraine will be a member of the European Union,” Kuleba said.

He also noted that such recognition should be a signal for Russia.

From Kuleba's point of view, strong support for European integration will hamper the efforts of the Russian Federation, which seeks to destroy Ukraine's plans to become part of the "big European family".

“This would be an extremely powerful and timely signal… A difficult and complex situation cannot be resolved without making difficult decisions, and therefore we call on partners to put aside any hesitation, discard any unfounded warnings and say clearly: Ukraine is part of us.

We are one whole,” Kuleba said.

The head of Ukrainian diplomacy raised the same topic on February 19 in his speech at the so-called Ukrainian lunch in Munich, urging European partners “right now” to grant Kiev the status of an EU candidate.

"It doesn't cost anything to the EU, it's a political decision, but it will send a signal to the people of Ukraine that 'you are one of us' and it will send a signal to Putin that 'no matter what you do, we will not leave Ukraine'," he said. Kuleba.

“No one is waiting for us in Europe”

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky also spoke about giving Kyiv a “European perspective” in the capital of Bavaria.

In his speech at the Munich Conference, he stressed that on the Maidan in February 2014, the Ukrainians made precisely the European choice.

At the same time, according to the Ukrainian leader, for eight years now Kiev has had to "constantly call for the recognition of the European perspective."

  • President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky at the Munich Security Conference

  • © www.president.gov.ua

“Since 2014, Russia has been convincing us that we have chosen the wrong path, that no one is waiting for us in Europe.

Shouldn't Europe constantly say and prove by actions that this is not true?

Is it not the EU that should say today: our citizens have a positive attitude towards Ukraine's entry into the union," Zelensky said.

He stressed that Kiev deserves "direct, honest answers" to questions about the prospect of EU membership.

Also, according to Zelensky, Europe should be grateful to Ukraine for “holding back one of the largest armies in the world for eight years.”

Experts interviewed by RT regarded Kuleba and Zelensky's calls to Brussels as an attempt to negotiate the granting of candidate status and financial support against the backdrop of the current aggravation in the Donbass.

“In the current situation, when the DPR and LPR are being shelled, Kiev is again trying to present itself as a victim of “Russian aggression” and at the same time an outpost of the West.

On this wave, he, apparently, is counting on serious concessions from foreign partners, ”Igor Shishkin, an employee of the Institute of CIS Countries, explained in a conversation with RT.

Recall that the situation at the contact line deteriorated sharply a few days ago.

Ukrainian formations began shelling the settlements of both people's republics, including with the use of artillery and large-caliber mortars, reported in the self-proclaimed republics.

The first casualties have already appeared among the civilian population.

Several shells also hit the territory of the Rostov region.

Currently, the DPR and LPR authorities are evacuating the civilian population and mobilizing men capable of holding weapons.

The militia believes that Kiev intends to return uncontrolled territories by force.

However, Ukraine rejects the presence of aggressive plans, blaming Russia and the militias for the escalation of violence.

From Moscow's point of view, the tension along the contact line has been brought to a maximum.

On February 20, the press secretary of the Russian leader, Dmitry Peskov, told reporters that any planned provocation could lead to irreparable consequences.

In addition, he drew attention to the fact that not a single Western leader called for restraint in Kiev.

“Neither NATO, nor European capitals, nor Washington are calling Kiev to be careful, to be careful.

It's like it doesn't exist.

Of course, such a position can hardly be called, well, perhaps even adequate.

I'm not talking about the objective," Peskov stressed.

  • Soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine equipped with NATO weapons

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  • © Joint Force Operation

According to Shishkin, in many respects it was the West that pushed Kiev to unleash aggression in the Donbass.

The political scientist recalled that since the beginning of this year, Ukraine has received a large number of weapons from NATO member countries.

In addition, in the current situation, Western states turn a blind eye to the provocations of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

“Zelensky, in a certain sense, is right that Ukraine has become an “outpost”, moreover, because of the desire of the West to create “anti-Russia” from this country.

Another thing is that Kiev in this game is an instrument of the West.

Naturally, he should not expect any gratitude from the EU or the USA: Ukraine will again be used for anti-Russian purposes, ”says Shishkin.

"Encouraging Statements"

Experts are also convinced that Kiev's hopes for an early and even distant membership in the European Union are unfounded: this is confirmed by the speech of the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell at the same Munich Security Conference.

Answering a question from former Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid about the possibility of an emergency start of negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the European Union, the head of European diplomacy said that Kiev has yet to implement many reforms.

He also said that Brussels has invested more money in Ukraine than others.

According to Borrell, we are talking about an amount of €17 billion. 

“The words of the head of EU diplomacy can be safely interpreted as a refusal to satisfy calls for a “European perspective”.

The EU really allocates money to Ukraine, but they often go for reforms or are loans.

Yes, we often hear encouraging statements from Brussels, but no one is seriously talking about the possibility of Ukraine's membership, ”political scientist Alexander Asafov emphasized in an interview with RT.

In his opinion, investment projects could clarify Brussels' plans to integrate Kiev into the "European family".

However, according to Asafov, the EU does not consider it profitable to invest in the Ukrainian economy.

“In essence, Ukraine is interested in the European Union as a market for its goods and a source of inexpensive labor.

To enjoy these "benefits", there is no need to take Kiev somewhere.

There are no prerequisites for such a situation to really change,” says Asafov.

According to the expert, in fact, Kiev is aware of the unrealistic nature of its demands for EU membership.

The current goal of Ukrainian diplomacy is to obtain new financial tranches and loans from the EU.

So, under the pretext of geopolitical tensions, on February 11, the Council of the European Union already approved the allocation of macro-financial assistance to Kiev in the amount of €1.2 billion in the form of a loan.

Ukraine will be able to receive the money within 12 months in two stages and subject to certain political conditions.

In particular, the first tranche will be transferred after the Memorandum of Understanding on Specific Structural Policy Measures comes into force (this document has yet to be agreed upon by the European Commission and Kiev).

  • Head of EU diplomacy Josep Borrell (left) and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba (middle)

  • © Ina Fassbender/Pool via AP

The allocation of the second loan will depend on how Ukraine will implement the IMF programs and policy measures prescribed in the Memorandum of Understanding.

As specified on the website of the Council of the European Union, in total, from 2014 to 2021, Brussels “supported” Kiev with loans in the amount of €5 billion.

According to Igor Shishkin, since the coup d'état, the Ukrainian authorities have been striving to form relations with the EU that would allow them to "pump out funds" from its budget.

However, despite these attempts, the opposite situation has developed.

“Kiev's motivation for European integration is to shift its problems onto the shoulders of European taxpayers.

But the format of relations that has been observed in recent years is beneficial just to the European Union.

The EU makes money in Ukraine without investing in its development and without giving any promises or guarantees on the prospects of membership,” Shishkin concluded.