Russian President Vladimir Putin stated on May 9 that events in Ukraine began after Kiev’s attempts to associate with the European Union.
According to him, even at that time Moscow was discussing with European countries the possible consequences of such a step.
“And how did it start? Since Ukraine joined or attempted to join the EU. This was only the first stage,” Putin said.
The president noted that Russia had drawn Europe’s attention to differences in phytosanitary standards, which he claimed were stricter under Russian regulations. As a result, Moscow could not allow European products to enter its market through Ukrainian territory.
