Ukraine used as wedge between Russia, EU: Kremlin official

Moscow, Jan 29 (IANS/TASS) Chief of Russia's presidential staff, Sergey Ivanov, said Thursday that in the current political situation, Ukraine is being used as a battering ram in attempts to drive a wedge between Russia and the European Union (EU).

In this way the US wants to force the European Union to toe its line, he said.

"It is getting ever more obvious that our Western partners, in the first place, overseas partners, are looking at Ukraine as a battering ram for attaining their foreign policy aims. One of these is to drive a wedge between the European Union and Russia," Ivanov said.

He pointed out that the US itself was by no means harmed by that, because Russian-US trade "is close to zero, while that between Russia and the European Union is quite an impressive figure".

"As some would say, the aim is to make the EU toe the line and strictly follow instructions and directives," Ivanov said about the motives behind these actions.

He believes that the West does not care a bit about the future of the people of Ukraine.

"Had it been otherwise, it would have long given an awful lot of money. But it hasn't given anything yet for some reason," he remarked.

About the current Ukrainian leaders, he said that all of them were people of means.

"Should something go wrong, they will be gone virtually in no time, leaving it to ordinary Ukrainians to sort things out," Ivanov warned.

He recalled that the civil war in Ukraine had lasted for about a year now.

"Honestly speaking, I don't feel great optimism about the way the situation looks today," he concluded.

--IANS/TASS

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