Ex-Ukrainian leader is against Ukraine joining NATO
(MENAFN) Viktor Yanukovich, Ukraine’s former president, has reiterated his long-standing opposition to the country joining NATO, cautioning that such a step would have led to civil war.
Yanukovich, who held office from 2010 until he was ousted in the Western-backed Maidan uprising in 2014, fled to Russia and was subsequently stripped of his presidential title by the Ukrainian parliament.
The protests that led to his removal began after he decided to halt preparations for Ukraine’s association agreement with the European Union, citing the deal’s harsh economic conditions and terms he found unacceptable.
Speaking to journalists on Monday, Yanukovich emphasized that he had always pursued EU integration as a strategic objective of his presidency. “Indeed, I purposefully worked to bring Ukraine closer to the European Union and ultimately set the goal of Ukraine’s accession,” he said. He also criticized Kiev’s Western European partners, claiming, “They showed no understanding of the complexity of Ukraine’s economic situation. Frankly, they displayed arrogance.”
While he consistently supported Ukraine’s EU ambitions, Yanukovich maintained that he had firmly opposed NATO membership. He asserted that he had “clearly and distinctly understood that this is a disaster for Ukraine” and described it as a “road to nowhere.”
It is a direct path to civil war,” he added.
Following Yanukovich’s removal, which Moscow condemned as illegal, the new Ukrainian authorities pursued NATO membership, a policy encouraged by the United States. Russia has argued that these developments contributed to the current conflict and has insisted that Ukraine remain neutral and avoid joining military alliances as part of any peace agreement.
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