BRUSSELS. Jan 30 (Interfax) - The European Union, which extended sanctions against Russia and the Donbas militia at the Thursday meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council, has missed another chance to get off the track of simplified understanding of the Ukraine situation, Russian Permanent Representative to the EU Vladimir Chizhov said.
"Speaking of the content of their conclusions [the final document], unfortunately, the European Union has missed another chance to get off the track of simplified and perfunctory understanding of the events in progress in eastern Ukraine, the track of sanctions pressure on Russia and unidimensional perception of the reality," Chizhov said in his comments on the outcomes of the Foreign Affairs Council sitting.
In his opinion, the final document"lacks substantive criticism of Ukrainian authorities for the ongoing events. The mentioned episodes are selective, which cannot help but predicate another manifestation of double standards," the envoy said.
"True, Kyiv has been given certain recommendations, and some of them are rather strict, which reflects the growing concern of the European Union about the economic collapse Ukraine has been exhibiting that endangers not only the living standards of the population in that country but, obviously, the future of the sadly remembered association agreement, especially its delayed trade and economic provisions. But this is an opinion which, to my mind, the authors of that document will not risk to share in public," Chizhov said.
"This is a rather predictable outcome against the backdrop of hysteria that seized Western masses in the past few days," he observed.