Putin fears Ukraine joining the EU - Zelenskyy
Kyiv • UNN
President Zelenskyy stated that Putin fears Ukraine's success and its accession to the EU, as this could set an example for Russians. He also emphasized that NATO expansion is important to Putin, even though the Alliance is a defensive organization.
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin fears that Ukraine will indeed join the European Union. This was stated by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in an interview with Le Point, reports UNN.
Details
Zelenskyy commented on historian Timothy Snyder's words that Ukraine is an example of democracy that is "intolerable" for a dictator like Putin.
Putin is very afraid that Ukraine will succeed. In every sense of the word. He is afraid that Ukraine will indeed join the European Union. And I'm not talking about institutions, I'm talking about the absence of borders between Ukraine and EU countries. In Ukraine, people are already free, and Putin doesn't like that, it's true. Because his people could follow Ukraine's example. Of course, not all Russians, but if one person sets an example, it can give ideas to others
He also commented on NATO expansion.
And then there's the story of NATO expansion. I always thought that the history of NATO was important to Putin. Not because NATO can be a threat - NATO is about defense, not offense. In essence, you know, our situation is like when you have a very bad neighbor who is jealous of your success. You have a family, you are loved, and he is not. And this person doesn't even go outside, he doesn't leave his room, fearing that someone will spit in his face. This is Ukraine's problem. Putin doesn't like it when Ukraine succeeds. But Ukraine will succeed
Addition
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, during a meeting with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico in Beijing, stated that Moscow had never opposed Ukraine's European integration. At the same time, he reiterated that Ukraine's NATO membership remains a "red line" for the Kremlin and is unacceptable.