MOSCOW, April 2. /TASS/. Ukraine is unlikely to join the EU without a consent from NATO as a "senior partner" at this point, Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev said in his Telegram channel Saturday.
He noted that Ukraine has been seeking EU membership "sincerely and for a long time," and, recently, it has been seeking to join the Union "even stronger".
"And it’s okay. Our position is well known: if you so desire, do join, suit yourself. And it seems like the European now want Ukraine a lot as well now. But there is one problem: the recent years’ experience of Montenegro and North Macedonia indicates, that accession to the EU does not happen in any way other than through NATO," Medvedev said.
He noted that these are mutually dependent organizations, or "as Europeans put in a politically correct way, partners." Meanwhile, "Washington is the boss" in NATO, while the alliance itself, established in 1949, is an "older partner, more mature, unlike the still young, 30-years-old EU."
"Therefore, Brussels is also being commanded by Washington in general, although Brussels does not like to admit it. Hence a question: how does one join the EU without NATO membership? Without the older partner’s consent and without joining the main… alliance. There is no answer. As of today, there is no way, it seems," the Security Council Deputy Chairman concluded.
Although, Medvedev added, "stranger things have happened."
Addressing the facts from the past, Medvedev mentioned Kiev’s past attempts to join the EU. According to Medvedev, Ukraine wanted to join the Union back during Leonid Kuchma’s presidency, "it wanted even stronger under [Viktor] Yuschenko, it craved unbearably under [Viktor] Yanukovich, although it did tried to pull itself together when it decided to be friends with the EAEU as well."
"And then just like that, it stopped. Ukraine started wanting to join NATO straight away. It asked and begged, but came back to its senses later. It looks like it realized that NATO itself does not want to take it. Allegedly, there are no condition for matrimony, there are many concerns about such marriage," the politician noted, adding that Ukraine now once again wants to join the EU "even stronger than before."
In this context, Medvedev cited a historic anecdote "from the recent past": "The words, attributed to Viktor Chernomyrdin."
"Back when he served as the Ambassador to Ukraine, he was allegedly asked: ‘When will Ukraine join the EU?’ He quickly replied: ‘Immediately after Turkey.’ ‘And when will Turkey join?’ they asked. ‘Turkey? Never…"
According to Medvedev, his post was dedicated "to the birthday of Russia’s sworn fellow - NATO."
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization was established on April 4, 1949. This year, it celebrates its 73th anniversary.