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Lavrov: If Ukraine joins the European Union, the EU will simply collapse

16 June 2026 16:12 (UTC +04:00)

The strengthening of the European Union in the field of security is aimed against Russia, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a joint press conference following talks with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan, APA's Moscow bureau reports.

He noted that Ukraine’s accession to the EU would be used by those seeking to militarize the bloc.

At the same time, Lavrov stressed that if Ukraine joins the European Union, the EU will simply collapse.

“From the perspective of the EU’s internal problems, Ukraine’s accession may not be a bad idea. Then they will simply fall apart,” the Russian foreign minister concluded.

Farid Akbarov

Sergey Lavrov Russia Ukraine European Union EU Hakan Fidan Türkiye Russian Foreign Ministry Moscow security policy EU enlargement Ukraine accession Russia-EU relations militarization diplomacy press conference international relations geopolitical tensions foreign affairs European politics