‘We have never objected’: Putin says Russia never opposed Ukraine’s bid to become EU member

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday said that Moscow had never been against Ukraine’s potential membership of the European Union. He added that he believes it was possible to reach an agreement that ensures the security of both Russia and Ukraine. This comes after US President Donald Trump said during the Alaska Summit with the Russian president that he thinks Putin is “tired” of the war in Ukraine, but it remains to be seen if peace can be reached to end the deadliest conflict in Europe since World War II.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and other European leaders have said that they do not believe that Putin is serious about peace in Ukraine. They have also warned that if Russia wins the war, Putin would also attack other European nations and the US-led NATO military alliance.

Speaking at the SCO Summit in China, Putin denied the claims, describing them as “horror stories” and “hysteria” pushed by incompetent people who attempt to portray Russia as an enemy. The Russian president added that Moscow was forced to act in Ukraine by what he called the West’s attempt, with the help of NATO, to try to absorb the entire post-Soviet space.

“As for Ukraine’s membership of the EU, we have never objected to this,” Putin told Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico at talks in China. “As for NATO, this is another issue... Our position here is well known: we consider this unacceptable for ourselves.”

Putin also said that he discussed Ukraine’s security during the Alaska Summit with Trump on August 15. “There are options for ensuring Ukraine's security in the event of an end to the conflict,” he said. “And it seems to me that there is an opportunity to find consensus here.”

Meanwhile, Ukraine has said that it is not for Russia to decide what Kyiv can or cannot join. Backing Ukraine, NATO said that Russia cannot use its veto over membership of the alliance that was formed in 1949 to counter the threat from the Soviet Union.