Thread: Ukraine, the EU and Russia (suspension of EU - Ukraine talks)

RT has the following to say against EU membership for Ukraine (there may be a slight Russian bias here....) :

1) Ukraine's factories etc are not up to EU standards and cannot pay for modernisation.
2) Ukrainians would lose subsidised gas and electricity since it's against EU monopoly legislation.
3) Existing advantageous deals with Russia would probably be lost.
4) Ukraine's own products / industry would be knocked out by EU products that are cheaper and possibly perceived as better quality.

In addition to that: plenty of countries and people in the EU are strongly against further expansion. So it might just be wild goose chase, for nothing.

I think that if I was Ukrainian, I would (perhaps reluctantly) turn towards Russia for the time being, and treat the EU as more of a long term in the future. But don't have any illusions about the EU. It's not really helped Southern and Eastern Europe; in some cases it's made things worse.
The two richest countries in Western Europe (Switzerland and Norway) have decided to stay outside - and they are not tempted at all.

Originally Posted by Hanna

RT has the following to say against EU membership for Ukraine (there may be a slight Russian bias here....) :

1) Ukraine's factories etc are not up to EU standards and cannot pay for modernisation.
2) Ukrainians would lose subsidised gas and electricity since it's against EU monopoly legislation.
3) Existing advantageous deals with Russia would probably be lost.
4) Ukraine's own products / industry would be knocked out by EU products that are cheaper and possibly perceived as better quality.

In addition to that: plenty of countries and people in the EU are strongly against further expansion. So it might just be wild goose chase, for nothing.

I think that if I was Ukrainian, I would (perhaps reluctantly) turn towards Russia for the time being, and treat the EU as more of a long term in the future. But don't have any illusions about the EU. It's not really helped Southern and Eastern Europe; in some cases it's made things worse.
The two richest countries in Western Europe (Switzerland and Norway) have decided to stay outside - and they are not tempted at all.

Good point.

I've talked to some Ukrainian — it seems they don't quite undestand that EU is not a kind of charitable foundation. EU membership can ruin Ukrainian economics.
I am not enthusiastic at all about Customs Union, but it looks as much better alternative.

Originally Posted by RedFox

Good point.

I've talked to some Ukrainian — it seems they don't quite undestand that EU is not a kind of charitable foundation. EU membership can ruin Ukrainian economics.
I am not enthusiastic at all about Customs Union, but it looks as much better alternative.

Hopefully, enough Ukrainians wake up in time and refuse the EU.

Ukraine's Choice: East Or West?

Choose neither.

Originally Posted by 14Russian

Hopefully, enough Ukrainians wake up in time and refuse the EU.

Ukraine's Choice: East Or West?

Choose neither.

The article is from Radio Free Europe, for Gosh's sake! Are you serious?!

Just what the Ukrainians need, huh? Americans telling them what to do. Because it always ends up so well when the USA interferes on other continents.

No wonder Radio "Free" Europe doesn't want Ukraine to to be close to the EU or Russia! Go figure!
It wants Ukraine to lick the US butt, while being a super-cheap outsourcing country, in debt to US banks and hosting a few US military bases on the border to Russia.

Next time, please quote a source that is not financed by an intelligence service.

Originally Posted by Hanna

The article is from Radio Free Europe, for Gosh's sake! Are you serious?!

Just what the Ukrainians need, huh? Americans telling them what to do. Because it always ends up so well when the USA interferes on other continents.

No wonder Radio "Free" Europe doesn't want Ukraine to to be close to the EU or Russia! Go figure!
It wants Ukraine to lick the US butt, while being a super-cheap outsourcing country, in debt to US banks and hosting a few US military bases on the border to Russia.

Next time, please quote a source that is not financed by an intelligence service.

I don't care where it's from. The article is found on other sites and it's to demonstrate how much pressure (and PROPAGANDA) the Ukrainians are getting to choose the EU.