Dmitry Medvedev: If they are prepared to follow all our procedures, if they are ready to adopt relevant laws, ratify the required agreements in parliament and assume all obligations, they can become a Customs Union member, and we will be only pleased. But when my Ukrainian friends say they are prepared to ratify one agreement… I recently heard Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov say: “We are ready to ratify this agreement.” But this causes nothing but surprise. Aut Caesar, out nihil – there is such a Latin saying: it means all or nothing.
I can say the same about compatibility between associated membership of the European Union and membership of the Customs Union. We are not prejudiced against the European Union. It is our major trading partner, our trade with it stands at 400 billion euros, which accounts for 50% of our trade. We also have other big partners (China and a number of other countries), but a country becoming an associated member of the European Union assumes a number of serious obligations and the observance of these obligations (I made a special study of the relevant treaty) will make it impossible to fulfil obligations within the Customs Union.
All talk about being both here and there is a complete duplicity. I am sorry, but all they seem to want is to throw dust in the eyes of their own people, saying we are a bit here and a bit there, and can draw dividends from everywhere. Such things never happen. If the choice is made (and our partners seem to have made it, with the government adopting the relevant decision), then we wish our Ukrainian friends the closest possible integration with the European Union. Let them get all the financial advantages for their national budget from that membership. We doubt that this will bring big dividends. But if they have made such a choice, it is their decision and it is up to the Ukrainian people to judge their actions. Thank you.