MFA advises Russia not to poke its nose into Ukraine’s European integration

Russia has not yet reached the level of historical development in order to reflect on European values.

That's according to a comment provided to Ukrinform by Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Oleg Nikolenko.

He noted that the values for Ukraine are freedom, democracy, respect for human rights, the rule of law — everything for the sake of which Ukrainians are now defending their land from Russian aggression.

"And the 'Russian world' is based on the oppression of its own population, depriving them of any rights and freedoms, the enrichment of the ruling elite. Therefore, let the Russian regime not poke its nose into Ukraine's European integration, but deal with its own affairs," Nikolenko said.

Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said earlier that the approval by the European Union of the decision to start the procedure for Ukraine's accession to the EU would mean "the end of unification" and show that it is guided by "pure geopolitics."