Tick-Tock: Why EU-Ukraine Association Agreement Is 'Political Dynamite'

By signing the association agreement with Ukraine, the EU is ignoring Ukraine's geopolitical conditions and its historical ties with Russia. The move may pose a serious challenge to international stabilty, German newspaper Deutsche Wirtschafts Nachrichten (DWN) wrote.

The controversial association agreement between Ukraine and the European Union comes into force in 2016. However, Ukraine is unlikely to benefit from such an "explosive" move, the newspaper wrote.

For a long time, European leaders have been trying to convince Moscow that Ukraine will receive only economic benefits from the agreement and will further be able to maintain good relations with Russia.

However, the fact that the "association" includes not only a free-trade agreement, but also participation in the EU's defense policy demonstrates a serious security challenge to Moscow, the newspaper wrote.

According to the newspaper, the European Union is pursuing policy directed against Russia amid NATO's eastward expansion.

Such behavior by European leaders shows their ignorance of history. For centuries, the centerpiece of Russia's foreign and defense policy has been to ensure security on its western border by maintaining friendships with neighboring countries, including Ukraine, the newspaper wrote.

Now, in light of the desire of Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko to move closer to NATO, the situation is becoming increasingly tense. Moscow views the expansion of NATO and the possible entry of Ukraine into the Western alliance as a threat to its own security.

Rapprochement of the Ukrainian government with the Western military alliance is therefore a serious challenge to the already fragile world peace, the article said. The only reasonable course of action for Ukraine at the moment would be to pursue political and military neutrality, DWN concluded.