05.03 Putin Urges Moves to Protect Customs Union over Ukraine Crisis

NOVO-OGARYOVO, March 5 (RIA Novosti) – The Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan should seek to protect manufacturers from threats posed by the crisis in Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday.

In a meeting with the presidents of Belarus and Kazakhstan, Putin described the current situation in Ukraine as “extraordinary” and said the country has to deal with a “grave, if not to say devastating” economic crisis.

“Negative consequences are possible for the Customs Union market. We should think together of measures to protect our manufacturers and exporters and to develop guidelines for further cooperation with Ukraine,” said Putin.

His hopes of persuading Ukraine to join the Customs Union were dashed by the uprising in Kiev against President Viktor Yanukovych’s decision to seek closer ties with Moscow and reject a planned association agreement with the European Union in November.