Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba called today on his colleagues from the European Union not to give in to Vladimir Putin on the issue of sanctions against Russia, France Press reported, quoting BTA.
“Putin’s real goal is the impoverishment of Europe. He wants to turn public opinion against the ruling governments in the hope of replacing them with radical forces that will be more favorable to Russia,” Kuleba warned in an address to his European colleagues who had gathered in Brussels.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán criticized the sanctions imposed by the EU on Russia on Friday. He called them a “mistake” and said the sanctions “failed to achieve their goal” and were stifling the European economy.
“Putin’s plan is not only to destroy my country, but to plunge the whole of Europe into crisis. You can already see how he uses even the slightest dependence of Europe on Russia to achieve his goals,” said the Ukrainian foreign minister.
“If Russia feels weakness now, the consequences will be much worse than we see at the moment,” Kuleba pointed out.
“To give in and obey his demands will not work, it will never work. It is a trap,” the minister warned.
“I’m sure that in the coming weeks, other voices close to the Kremlin will urge public opinion to give Putin what he wants so that he leaves Europe alone,” Kuleba added.
In Brussels, European foreign ministers announced today the continuation of support for Ukraine with economic, political and military means.
The ministers got acquainted with the new sanctions measures presented on Friday by the European Commission, including an embargo on the purchase of Russian gold.
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