Ukraine will not be able to join NATO or the European Union for at least another 20 years, the European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker estimated on Thursday, Germany's DPA news agency reported.
?€?Ukraine will definitely not be able to become a member of the EU in the next 20-25 years, and not of NATO either,?€? Juncker was quoted by DPA as saying.
He was speaking in the context of an upcoming April referendum in the Netherlands on a free-trade deal between the EU and Ukraine, DPA reported. The agreement does not qualify as the first step toward EU membership, he said, DPA reported.
A dispute between Russia and Western-leaning Ukrainians about their country's European integration set off the crisis in 2014, which led to Moscow annexing the Crimean Peninsula and backing separatist insurgents in eastern Ukraine.
Moscow claims that NATO's eastern expansion is a threat to its national security, and wants to keep Ukraine in its sphere of influence.
After the loss of Crimea to Moscow and the disintegration of eastern Ukrainian regions into a violent conflict, officials in Kiev proclaimed Ukraine's European integration their major political priority.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.