Peskov: If Ukraine's European integration negatively affects Russia, we will take countermeasures
If Ukraine's integration into the European Union negatively affects Russian interests, then Moscow will assume balancing measures, reported the Russian President's Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov.
"It is a subject which concerns, most likely, the European Union and Ukraine. As much as it concerns Russian-Ukrainian relations and the economic relations of Russia, we will trace the possible negative consequences very attentively," RIA Novosti quotes Peskov.
According to Peskov, Moscow is interested in the "predictability, economical independence, stability and prosperity" of its neighboring countries. "If this agreement helps Ukraine, at least in some parameters, achieve those goals, then certainly we will only be glad about it," he concluded.
Earlier, the European Commissioner Johannes Hahn reported that 27 EU countries had ratified the contract, therefore the association of Ukraine with the European Union can be considered valid. It is also reported that the Netherlands' disapproval hasn't influenced the adoption of the agreement. The parliament of the state didn't cancel the resolution of ratification.
All EU countries have to ratify the agreement on association; the only country that has not given their consent is the Netherlands. The Dutch parliament approved the document in the summer of 2015, however the question was put to a referendum because not enough signatures had been collected. Most of the participants of this vote (61%) opposed the agreement, while just over 38% are in favor of it.