Yanukovych: Ukraine to base relations with EU, Customs Union on national interests

20:32, 29.08.2013 1 min read

Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has said that Ukraine will develop its relations with both the European Union and the Customs Union considering its own national interests.

"I believe that we have to find pragmatic solutions… Our national interests will always underlie Ukraine's relations with both the European Union and the Customs Union," the president said in an interview with Ukrainian television channels, which will be broadcast on August 30.

The 1+1 television channel broadcast a fragment of the interview on Thursday.

In the interview, Yanukovych also mentioned the word "war" while commenting on the recent problems related to trade between Ukraine and Russia, according to the presenter of the TSN news program on 1+1.

The president also said that as soon as he was informed about the situation with Russia, he called Russian President Vladimir Putin and asked him what was going on. According to Yanukovych, Putin was also shocked by the situation, said it was wrong and ordered officials and experts to report on it.