Excessive demands of Russia defer Yanukovych's visit - ex-Ukrainian minister
KYIV. Dec 18 (Interfax) - Excessive demands of Russia may be the cause of the delay of a Moscow visit of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, former Ukrainian Emergency Situations Minister, independent parliament deputy Viktor Baloha posted on Facebook on Tuesday.
"The president did not go [to Moscow] because the Russian administration wants too much. If we are fraternal peoples, our gas cooperation should have the same terms as Europe enjoys. We should discuss cooperation rather than integration into union treaties," he said.
Russia should be realistic in its energy policy statements, Baloha said. "Instead, they are driving us into a corner and demanding a union treaty," he added.
At the same time, Baloha is confident that the two chiefs of state should meet.
Batkivshchyna deputy Anatoliy Hrytsenko also commented on the deferred visit of Yanukovych on Facebook. "The Moscow visit has been delayed. Hasn't Yanukovych decided how to squeeze his stool between the chairs of the European and 'taiga' unions?"
A working visit of Yanukovych to Moscow planned for December 18 has been delayed. A knowledgeable source told Interfax that Kyiv and Moscow failed to agree on Ukraine's compliance with certain terms of the Customs Union.
