The EU seemed set for a fresh clash with Russia over the Association Agreement with Ukraine: after Brussels agreed to concessions on the entry into force of the agreement, Moscow put forward new conditions, The Wall Street Journal has reported.
According to the newspaper, last week, Russian Economy Minister Alexei Ulyukaev sent a letter to the European Commission's trade chief and Ukraine's foreign minister setting out Moscow's interpretation of the agreement and warning that Russia could still retaliate against Ukraine for ratifying a broad trade and political agreement with the EU.
The Kremlin said it reserves the right to introduce tough economic measures against Ukraine and also demands that Kyiv in no way implement the economic or political part of the agreement with the EU. In addition, Moscow wants new negotiations on the agreement between the EU and Ukraine.
The Kremlin argues that it agreed on this with Brussels and Kyiv, not on postponing the creation of a free trade area.
The EU stated that it was not going to rewrite the Association Agreement with Ukraine. European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighborhood Policy Stefan Fule promised that Kyiv and Brussels would soon reply to the Kremlin.
He said that Moscow's demands went far beyond anything agreed.
"You could compare the texts. You just need to put together the text of what has been agreed and what the Russian interpretation is to understand that this interpretation is from a different world, a parallel world," Fule said.
He added that the EU and Ukraine "are committed to" dealing with "real issues, real problems and finding real solutions" and added that the "Russians will have to abandon this virtual reality."