Former Ukrainian Foreign Minister Volodymyr Ohryzko has said that the main task for Ukraine in the trade conflict with Russia is to withstand its pressure and achieve the signing of the Association Agreement with the European Union this November.

"The most important thing now is to put aside all issues that disconnect and gather to oppose this outright brazen pressure, and sign the agreement in three months. A key point now comes for our story: if we withstand this pressure and if the agreement is signed in November, then we will take a very important step in our future," he said in an interview with Interfax-Ukraine.

He also urged all political forces to "look at the situation strategically" and do everything possible to sign the Association Agreement with the EU.

"It happened so, because the policy of Russia towards Ukraine and its desire to renew the former Soviet Union in a modernized form remains unchanged. So I don't see here anything new, it's just another attempt to stop Ukraine on its road to civilization, because the Ukrainians and Ukraine are Europeans, and they just don't want to again offer us an opportunity for self-realization and self-identification," Ohryzko said.