Putin: Ukraine cannot be simultaneously EU associated member, Customs Union member

MINSK. Oct 25 (Interfax) – Russian President Vladimir Putin has stressed once again that Ukraine cannot be simultaneously an EU associated member and a Belarusian-Kazakh-Russian Customs Union member.

Speaking to journalists in Minsk on Friday, Putin pointed out that the association agreement between Ukraine and the EU says that all possible integration associations Ukraine would wish to join in the future must fully comply with the agreements between Ukraine and the EU.

“But there are virtually no such provisions, say, within the Customs Union framework, but on the contrary, everything goes against what Ukraine is agreeing upon with the European Union,” Putin said.

“Therefore, there are no discrepancies in what I said [earlier at a press conference],” Putin said.