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Leaders of ex-Soviet countries discuss closer ties

By WTOP Staff

YURAS KARMANAU
Associated Press

MINSK, Belarus (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin says his country does not oppose ex-Soviet states seeking closer ties with Western countries, but has criticized them for not taking Moscow’s interests into account.

Leaders from the 11-member Commonwealth of Independent States met Friday in the Belarusian capital, Minsk, to discuss closer ties. The president of Ukraine — which is facing the most violent conflict in post-Soviet history, between government troops and pro-Russian insurgents — did not attend.

Putin lashed out at the European Union for “not considering it necessary … to discuss the risks” of political and economic integration with post-Soviet countries. Ukraine’s decision to sign an association agreement with the EU in September provoked complaints from the Kremlin that it would hurt Russia’s economy.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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