Скачать или смотреть Putin will honour economic commitment to Ukraine even if country's leadership changes

(28 Jan 2014) Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday insisted Moscow would come through on its economic commitments towards Ukraine, even if the country's leadership were to change.
At their shortened three-hour EU-Russia summit in Brussels, both sides acknowledged that wide-ranging differences over Ukraine's choice whether to align itself closely with the EU remained, but stressed economic interests forced them to look for a common future.
Often seen as the object of a tug of war between the EU and Russia, Putin said his main concern in the Ukraine was to protect Russia's financial commitments, not geopolitical concerns where the former Soviet republic's future lay.
He said Russia will abide by the agreement providing credits and cheaper gas to Ukraine, a deal worth 15 billion US dollars, even if the government is led by the opposition, which wants close relations with the EU.
"What is of principle importance for us, and I will repeat it again, is that the Ukrainian economy is credit worthy, that the Ukrainian economy is able to generate a positive affect from its development, for the government to hold constructive changes and reforms so that we are confident we can get this money back," Putin said.
In Kiev on Tuesday, the prime minister resigned and parliament repealed anti-protest laws which had set off violent clashes between protesters and police, significant concessions to the anti-government demonstrators who protested against President Viktor Yanukovych's decision to turn towards Russia for a bailout loan instead of signing an EU deal.
Putin said he was confident Ukrainians themselves will sort out their problems and that nobody should interfere.
"I can imagine what reaction there would be from our European partners if, in the midst of a crisis in Greece or any other country, our foreign minister would come to an anti-European rally and would urge people to do something. This would not be very good. But considering the specifics of our relationship between Russia and Ukraine this is simply unacceptable and impossible for us" Putin said.
European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso welcomed the decision in the Ukraine to repeal anti-protest laws and said he hoped this would deescalate situation and help move towards political dialogue and solution.


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