You're reading: Lavrov: Russia won’t introduce sanctions if Ukraine signs association deal with EU

Russia will not introduce sanctions against Ukraine, if Kyiv signs an association agreement with the European Union, said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

“We are not obsessed with ‘the sanction itch’ typical of some of our partners. We will not introduce sanctions against Ukraine and we will get back to a normal, most-favored nations trade regime,” he said at a press conference after informal talks with his Polish and German counterparts.

“Privileges will be taken away, because if they are saved the CIS free trade agreement will be violated. That’s all,” Lavrov said.

He noted, though, that the final choice is to be made by the Ukrainian people.

“Concerning Ukraine’s relations with the EU, we have no objections to this process. We cannot prohibit anyone to broaden economic cooperation with international organizations. The only thing we would like to detail is that the Ukrainian people must make their choice on their own. They themselves must decide whether or not the association and free trade agreements should be signed with the EU. If their decision is positive, consequences will arise for the obligations which Ukraine assumed a long time ago under the CIS free trade agreement,” Lavrov said.

“When we say that Ukraine must decide, we mean that we will respect any choice it makes. By contrast, some of the EU members demand that Ukraine’s choice in favor of European integration alone must be respected. No choice has been made so far. The Ukrainian leadership has yet to make the decision. This choice should be preferably made when all government bodies become legitimate and enjoy popular support, not nervously and on the run, as if in fear of missing a deadline,” Lavrov said.

“More trust should be given to the Ukrainian people. We are all for this,” he said.