Volodymyr Ohryzko, diplomat and head of the Russia Research Center, said this in an interview with European Space program host Yuriy Fizer on Espreso TV.“The European Union is necessary for us because it represents a future — economy, security, and culture in the broadest sense of the word. It means less corruption, more political culture, less populism, and more sobriety. Can a normal person refuse that? Obviously, this is our future,” Ohryzko said.According to the diplomat, that is why tearing Ukraine away from the European Union and NATO is a top priority for Putin.“Putin fully understands that as we gradually integrate into the EU — even if it takes several years, especially after this terrible war — and reach a normal level, this will serve as an example to the ignorant population across the border that other, much better systems exist.And for him, that will mean the end, even if the slaves protest on their knees. One way or another, this will be a threat to him. That is why he wants to stop our European course at any cost. It is precisely for this reason that Putin wants to halt us as a country and as a nation. But he will not succeed,” Ohryzko added.Russians are incapable of changing from within and therefore will not be able to save their current state from collapse, believes Ukraine’s president from 2005 to 2010, Viktor Yushchenko.