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Ukraine's human rights record precludes it from entering EU — Lavrov

Russian Foreign Minister stressed that nothing was done by Kiev to satisfy the rights of national minorities or to restore them

MOSCOW, November 11. /TAS/. Kiev has done nothing in the field of human rights that would justify its entry into the European Union (EU), contrary to what European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos claims, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in an interview with Russian media, including TASS.

"Returning to Ukraine, to its legislation, I mentioned Hungary. When the Brussels bureaucrats led by Ursula von der Leyen were pushing for a decision on starting negotiations with Ukraine on its accession to the European Union, Hungary, we must pay tribute to the courage of [the Hungarian Prime Minister] Viktor Orban and his Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto took a stand and insisted that among the conditions that Ukraine must fulfill before the negotiations begin, the resumption and restoration of all Ukrainian obligations in the field of respect for the rights of national minorities should be outlined," the minister said.

"So, now there is some kind of a commissioner for the enlargement of the European Union, Marta Kos. When she says that Ukraine is ready, it has done everything to start the negotiations, this is not true. Nothing has been done to satisfy the rights of national minorities or to restore them."

According to him, nothing has been done even for the Hungarian minority, although Hungary is a member of the European Union, where Ukraine is pushing to get into, and a member of NATO, where Vladimir Zelensky is also constantly rushing.

"No, nothing is being done for this, just as it is not being done in relation to the remains of victims of the Volyn massacre for Poland," Lavrov said.