Ukrainian ambassador: EU long believed Russia was developing democratically

Speaking during a special event at the Lithuanian Seimas on Friday to honour the memory of the Maidan heroes, the ambassador also underlined that the Maidan events were the ones that changed Ukraine and the entire world.

“Ukrainians were killed on that day for Ukraine’s freedom and independence. The Maidan changed not only Ukraine. The Maidan changed the world as well,” Zhovtenko said.

Speaking about the Minsk agreement, the diplomat said Ukraine seeks peace, and there’s Russia’s ongoing aggression from the other side.

“Ukraine has tried to resolve this issue peacefully, attended the Minsk meeting. Despite that, Russia continues acting aggressively. The European Union has for many years believed that Russia has been developing democratically. When the war broke out in Georgia, nobody helped it. That was Europe’s reaction,” the Ukrainian diplomat said.

Zhovtenko also thanked the European Union and the United States, especially, Lithuania and its people, organizations helping Ukraine, state leaders and Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite who is leaving for Kiev on Sunday to attend the Maidan anniversary commemoration events.

The Seimas of Lithuania on Friday held a special event to honour the memory of the so-called “Heavenly Hundred”, the people who were killed during the massive protests in Kiev that took place from November, 2013 until February, 2014. Ukraine marks the Day of the Heavenly Hundred Heroes on 20 February.