Recognition of the results of the referendum on the association agreement between Ukraine and the European Union by the government of the Netherlands will mean that the provisional application of the association agreement will continue, Ambassador-at-Large of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry Dmytro Kuleba has said.

"The recognition of the results of the referendum by the government of the Netherlands and, therefore, non-completion of the ratification of the agreement at this stage means for Ukraine the incomplete process of ratification of the agreement in the Netherlands and, therefore, the continuation of its provisional application. This step will also cause the wave of criticism of the authorities, and Russia will get an additional argument that Ukraine is not welcome in the EU and will use it to destabilize the internal situation in Ukraine," Kuleba wrote on his Facebook page on Thursday.

He also said that the recognition of the referendum results by the Netherlands means an expression of distrust in the Dutch government, which had been actively encouraging its citizens to support the agreement on the association between Ukraine and the EU.

Another consequence of the Dutch referendum will be the emergence of a powerful impulse for Eurosceptics, the right and left-wing forces in other EU countries, which seek to destroy the EU and the solidarity of its members. This will also create a precedent for questioning the EU's legal and political system.

"There is no doubt that a) the association agreement will be effective b) the Dutch government's task is to search for the most acceptable solution of the 'Dutch case', c) strategically, the most negative consequences of the referendum will be felt by the EU, but it will survive this, the only question is at what price," the diplomat wrote.

At the same time, he said that they should not forget that the corruption in Ukraine must be fought, and politicians, officials, journalists must learn to see how solving domestic issues is also a priority for successful foreign policy.

As reported, with all ballots counted at the Dutch referendum, 61.1% voted against the ratification of the agreement on the association between Ukraine and the EU, and 38.1% voted for it, with the minimum required turnout.