Russian PM sees customs union integrated into Europe

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has not ruled out the possibility that the customs union of Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan could, in the future, be integrated into Europe, RIA Novosti reported Friday.

“Who said that the customs union shouldn’t be integrated into a pan-European (economic) space?” Putin said speaking at the International Investment Forum Sochi 2011.

Putin said he believed that Ukraine was unlikely to join the European economic space under the present economic conditions.

“I can hardly imagine how Ukraine could join the European Union (E.U.) under these (current) conditions. That is absolutely unrealistic. (However) this choice is possible, as a strategy,” he said.

Putin said he was confident that joining the customs union would be more advantageous for Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich said earlier in September that Ukraine could join the customs union if it benefitted the country.