KYIV. April 14 (Interfax) - Ukraine on Saturday accused Russia of pursuing an imperialistic anti-Ukrainian policy and said "it is increasingly obvious that the Euro-Atlantic choice of Ukraine is the only way to guarantee security for our country."
"Senior officials in the Russian Federation have been openly making anti-Ukrainian statements that show disrespect for the territorial integrity of Ukraine and represent direct interference in its internal affairs," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
"It is absolutely unacceptable that the Russian Federation is using unfriendly moves toward Ukraine, shows disrespect for its territorial integrity and its sovereign right to make its own foreign policy choice," the ministry said.
"In this situation, it is increasingly obvious that the Euro-Atlantic choice of Ukraine is the only way to guarantee security for our country," it said.
The ministry demanded that Russia "end its practice of threats against Ukraine and comply with the treaty on friendship, cooperation and partnership."
The treaty binds the two nations to respect each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity, avoid threats of using force against each other and not to interfere in each other's affairs.
The statement did not name the "senior officials" it accused of making anti-Ukrainian statements. However, there has been a stormy reaction in Ukraine to a recent statement made by Gen. Yury Baluyevsky, chief of Russia's general staff, that the planned entry of Ukraine and Georgia to NATO would force Russia to take "military and other" security measures.