EU candidate standing for Ukraine, Moldova could have destructive penalties By Reuters

© Reuters. FILE PHOTO – Russia’s International Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova speaks throughout a session of the St. Petersburg Worldwide Financial Discussion board (SPIEF) in Saint Petersburg, Russia June 16, 2022. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov

(Reuters) – The Russian overseas ministry stated on Friday that the choice by European Union leaders to simply accept Ukraine and Moldova as membership candidates would have destructive penalties.

“With the choice to grant Ukraine and Moldova the standing of candidate international locations, the European Union has confirmed that it continues to actively exploit the CIS on a geopolitical stage, to make use of it to ‘include’ Russia,” ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated in a press release.

“They aren’t pondering of the destructive penalties of such a step…”