Russia says Ukraine's accession to EU may undermine entire union's system

MOSCOW

Russia on Friday said that Ukraine may “undermine” the entire system of the EU if it becomes its member.

Speaking at a news conference in Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that this country will be a “load that the EU will not be able to lift.”

"There are a lot of words, but really, of course, to accept a country like Ukraine into the EU ... would simply undermine the entire system of the European Union. And sober heads understand that this will be a load that the EU simply cannot lift, and the EU will fall apart," he said.

The spokesman noted that currently the EU officials only discuss the possibility of granting Kyiv membership, and the experience shows that such discussions may last for decades.

Asked about the attempt to illegally take Russia’s assets in the Western countries, Peskov warned that such a precedent, if happens, will have a destructive effect on the entire global financial system.

“The topic of illegal seizure of our assets is constantly on the agenda both in Europe and in America. Those who are trying to initiate this, and those who will implement it, must understand that the Russian Federation will never leave alone those who did it,” he emphasized.

After Russia launched its “special military operation” in Ukraine in February 2022, the US and the EU have frozen billions of its financial assets.