On June 16, during a joint press conference in Moscow following talks with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Lavrov sarcastically remarked that from the perspective of EU internal issues, Ukraine's membership might not be a bad idea. He added, "If that happens, the EU will disintegrate," asserting that there are complex and conflicting currents within the EU.
Lavrov further argued that the EU is straying from its original purpose as an economic cooperative and attempting to transform into a military alliance. He stated, "If Europe is dismantling a multilateral economic structure to be reborn as a military alliance, it is courting disaster," and suggested that if the EU intends to ignore economic issues, it should invite Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
His comments came shortly after the EU began substantive negotiations for Ukraine's membership. On June 15, the EU held a second intergovernmental meeting with Ukraine in Luxembourg, initiating discussions on the first area of negotiations, termed 'fundamentals,' which includes the rule of law, fundamental rights, democratic institutions, public administration reform, and economic standards.
Ukraine applied for EU membership shortly after Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022 and was granted candidate status later that year. The EU approved the start of membership negotiations in December 2023, but progress had been delayed due to Hungary's opposition. Recently, the 27 member states agreed to open the first negotiation areas with Ukraine and Moldova, allowing the process to gain momentum.
Lavrov also claimed that there are movements within the EU to create an independent military organization and that there are reports of anti-Russian countries, led by the UK, pursuing a separate military alliance with Ukraine. However, he did not provide specific evidence to support these claims.
He also asserted that Zelensky is prepared to lead a European army. However, Zelensky's public statements have focused on urging the strengthening of Europe's defense capabilities. At the Munich Security Conference in February last year, he stated, "The time has come to create a European army," but he did not indicate that he would lead such a force.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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