This article originally appeared at Ruposters.ru. Translated by J. Hawk at Fort Russ.
Estonia’s president Toomas Hendrik Ilves laughed at Ukrainians demanding EU membership for their country in the form of ultimatum: “if you don’t invite us to the EU, we won’t make reforms.” That’s what Estonia’s leader said during discussions at the GLOBSEC international security conference in Bratislava.
Ilves described Ukraine’s approach as “not constructive”, and reminding of a scene from a movie in which the robber threatens to commit suicide unless his victims give him money.
“Telling us that we won’t implement reforms until you give us what was promised (namely the membership), reminds me of a scene from some movie in which a robber enters a bank, puts a gun to his own temple, and says, ‘Give me money, or I’ll shoot myself.’ That’s not the right way. Promising the collapse of your own country unless it is admitted into the EU isn’t effective,” Ilves said, to the laughter and applause from the audience.
GLOBSEC list of participants also included Ukraine’s president Poroshenko, but his name was removed from the list of speakers yesterday. Organizers said that Ukraine’s leader did not warn of his absence.
Estonia president:
