Ukraine in the EU?

During his visit to China, Vladimir Putin made a series of statements to the effect that Russia had never been opposed to Ukraine joining the European Union.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that Moscow had never opposed Ukraine’s potential membership of the European Union, and that he thought it was possible to find a consensus on ensuring the security of both Russia and Ukraine reut.rs/4g9yBHM

— Reuters (@reuters.com) 2025-09-02T12:36:59.749Z

However, according to Reuters, he reiterated his firm opposition to Kyiv joining NATO, which he sees as a direct threat to Russia’s security.

Putin also mentioned his recent trade with Donald Trump, saying that a compromise on Ukraine’s security remains conceivable.

Visiting Moscow’s ally China, the Russian president denounced what he called the “hysteria” of some European leaders, who he said were brandishing the threat of possible Russian aggression against other countries on the continent.

According to Putin, the key to lasting peace lies in limiting NATO’s expansion, while continuing to refuse, for the time being, a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

This stance comes just days after his summit in Alaska with Donald Trump, who rolled out the red carpet for him and asserted that such a meeting, deemed crucial to peace talks, would take place shortly.

Ultimately, the decision to join the European Union or NATO rests with the Ukrainians and their allies, not Putin.