Russia Warns "EU Will Collapse if Ukraine Joins"... EU Criticizes "Russia-China Military Ties"

"If the EU Becomes a Military Bloc, It Will Invite Disaster"

"Russian Soldiers Trained in China on Drones... Sanctions Being Prepared"

EPA Yonhap News

Russia has issued a strong warning that the European Union (EU) could risk falling apart if it allows Ukraine to join as a member state. This is seen as an immediate counter to the EU's announcement that it has begun accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova. The EU, for its part, has criticized the growing military ties between Russia and China, claiming that Russian troops trained in China are now being deployed to Ukraine. Concerns are rising that the standoff between the two sides over Ukraine’s accession to the EU will intensify further in the future.

According to TASS news agency, on June 16 (local time), Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in a press conference after holding talks with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, who was visiting Moscow, "Admitting Ukraine into the EU could weaken the EU's economic and political standing," adding, "If the EU abandons its multilateral economic structure and transforms into a military alliance, the EU will collapse."

He continued, "We have also received intelligence that, led by the United Kingdom, anti-Russian countries within the EU and Ukraine are discussing the idea of creating a separate military alliance," and warned, "This will bring about great harm. If you accept Zelensky, you will face economic collapse."

These remarks are interpreted as a warning in response to the EU's announcement the previous day that it would begin accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova. Some member states, such as Germany, have even proposed that if the accession process for the two countries takes too long, they should be allowed to join first as associate members without voting rights.

Russia fears that if the accession of both countries to the EU gains momentum, not only Eastern European but also Northern European countries will become more active in seeking EU membership, further diminishing Russia's influence in Europe. According to the Guardian, in addition to Ukraine and Moldova, seven other countries have applied for EU membership: Montenegro, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Serbia, Georgia, and Turkey. Norway and Iceland are also considering joining the EU.

Despite Russia’s pressure, the EU has instead highlighted the military ties between Russia and China and is expanding sanctions against Russian and Chinese companies and individuals. According to AFP, Kaja Kallas, the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, stated at an EU foreign ministers' meeting the previous day, "We have confirmed reports that Chinese forces have been training Russian soldiers who are to fight in Ukraine," adding, "The implications of these findings are being carefully considered, and during discussions with foreign ministers from member states, we agreed to impose sanctions on several Chinese entities."

Kallas criticized, "Beijing remains a key enabler in Russia’s war against Ukraine." She pointed out that, although China claims neutrality on the surface, it has been providing direct military support by training Russian troops. She added, "We have designated an additional 34 Russian individuals and 47 entities involved in supporting the war in Ukraine as targets for sanctions," and emphasized, "We have approved further sanctions to increase pressure on Russia to end the war."

Allegations of military cooperation between China and Russia, as highlighted by Kallas, were previously reported by several foreign media outlets last month. At that time, it was reported that last year China secretly invited around 200 Russian soldiers to train in drone tactics and other areas, and these troops were later redeployed to the war zone in Ukraine.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.