The agreements reached by Russian and Ukrainian Presidents Dmitry Medvedev and Viktor Yanukovych to extend the lease of Russia's Black Sea Fleet in Crimea will not affect relations between Kyiv and Brussels, but they are quite clearly "Moscow's stamp" on Ukraine regarding its belonging to the sphere of Russian interests, expert from the European Policy Centre Amanda Paul has said.
"I would say that the Russians concluded a better deal, because this is in their interests, in the interests of security, in particular, to keep the Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol. That’s what they wanted and what they sought, but I don’t think this will affect relations between Ukraine and the EU, or Ukrainian aspirations to be part of the EU in future. But it’s quite obvious that this is Moscow’s stamp – they see Ukraine as a part of their sphere of interests, and that they have no intention of withdrawing their fleet from the Black Sea in the near future," she said in an interview with Interfax-Ukraine in Brussels on Wednesday.
She noted that Yanukovych’s decision "will not surprise many in Brussels."
"Many will not be surprised that President Yanukovych allowed the Russians to leave their fleet [in place]. He has never said that he would not allow Russia to continue to keep its Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol. A lot of people thought that this would happen," Paul said.
