Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has stated that putting pressure on Ukraine is unacceptable.
While speaking about obstacles in the country’s way to European
integration at a meeting with the participants of the 11th meeting of
the heads of Ukraine’s diplomatic missions abroad in Kyiv on Wednesday,
Yanukovych said that Kyiv always carefully analyzed and will analyze any
signals from its partners in the European Union and other countries.
“We will respond to them, but as I’ve often said earlier, we think
that putting pressure of any kind on Ukraine is unacceptable,” he said.
“And when we say that we can act only within legal relations, instead
of evaluating any political demands, we are sure that there is no other
way for us,” the president said.
According to Yanukovych, this is being done to prevent corruption.
“If we don’t clean the country from the dirt that has accumulated for
years and even decades, and we can say so already, Ukraine won’t move
forward,” the president said.
Yanukovych said Ukraine follows the principle of the supremacy of law in its actions.
“We would like corrupt officials to protect themselves by legal, and
not political, means when they are accused of corruption,” he said.
According to the president, all of the reforms in Ukraine are being
implemented strictly in line with European standards. Yanukovych said
Ukraine has achieved significant progress on its way to European
integration. The president added that the process of European
integration is moving Ukraine towards European standards.
