EU says won’t accept Russia ‘veto’ on ties with east Europe

The European Union will not accept a Russia “veto” or any other meddling in its ties with other nations, European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso said Friday.

“The times of limited sovereignty are over in Europe,” Barroso told a news conference after ex-Soviet state Ukraine turned its back on a major trade and political deal with the EU after economic pressure from Moscow.

Speaking at the same news conference, EU Council president Herman Van Rompuy said the 28-nation bloc’s offer to sign the landmark deals with Ukraine “is still on the table.”

Though there was no signing at the two-day summit as had been hoped, “we hope that sooner or later Ukraine will be ready,” he said.

“We will not give in to external pressure, not the least from Russia.”

Barroso stressed that “all stand to gain. Our neighbours and their neighbours.”

“It is not against someone. Because I do not believe someone should be against democracy, prosperity, stability.”