The Ukrainian Choice public movement believes that negotiations between Ukraine and the EU are possible only if the EU starts viewing the Ukrainian state as an equal partner and the Ukrainian authorities stop political speculation about this issue, Ukrainian Choice leader Viktor Medvedchuk has said.

"The absence of the translation of the text of the Association Agreement, the provision of excessive asymmetric privileges to European manufacturers - all this indicates that the EU was preparing to turn the Ukrainian economy into its raw material appendage," the movement quoted Medvedchuk as saying in response to a statement made by Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov that Ukraine should start negotiations with the EU on the signing of an association agreement and the creation of a free trade area.

He said that interference in Ukraine's internal affairs by EU and U.S. diplomats, their "open support for certain political forces, as well as the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry's servile response to these events, inspire serious doubt that the current team is able to protect Ukraine's economic interests."

"Therefore, before the adoption by the Ukrainian people of the direct decision on the choice of the vector of external integration any actions by the authorities on lobbying this policy are only political speculation, which has nothing to do with the will of the people and the protection of the economic interests of our country," Medvedchuk said.