MOSCOW, April 14. /TASS/. Europe views Ukraine as a bargaining chip needed merely to pressure Russia and advance its own agenda, said Viktor Medvedchuk, leader of the Other Ukraine movement and former head of the Opposition Platform - For Life party (banned in Ukraine).
The politician drew attention to the fact that the European Union (EU) is in no hurry to extend the agreement on the abolition of trade quotas and import duties on Ukrainian goods, which expires on June 5, and that among other things the EU tightened the rules of stay in 2025 for Ukrainian citizens in Europe.
"The EU once again demonstrates its true nature - this is a union of cynical interests, not of values. The histrionic statements about 'unwavering support for Ukraine' conceal a heartless planning, with the fate of Ukrainians being a mere tool to put pressure on Russia and haggle for its own gain," Medvedchuk wrote in his exclusive column for Smotrim.ru media platform.
Brussels, Medvedchuk continued, does not regard Ukraine as a partner, rather as a supplier of cheap labor and as political cover. The current EU leadership has no interest in real Ukraine, but seeks to have "its private concentration camp for gathering and screening of migrants," he noted. "The war brings huge demographic losses, so the cleared lands could be given to migrants, as there will simply be no other way to revitalize the economy," Medvedchuk added.
According to the politician, it is time for Ukrainians to "dump the rose-colored glasses" and think about their own future. "The European project with moral superiority and democratic principles at its core has long been a tool of geopolitical games. Ukraine has been assigned the role of a bargaining chip. The sooner Ukrainian people realize this, the more chances the country would have to preserve its sovereignty, industry and economy," he concluded.