• Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated in February 2025 that Ukraine has a “sovereign right” to join the EU and that “no one can dictate anything to another country, and we are not going to do that” on economic integration¹².
• However, Peskov immediately distinguished EU membership from military alliances, adding: “Of course, our position on issues related to security, defense and military alliances is completely different. We have a different approach there, and everyone knows it”².
• Russia has repeatedly called Ukrainian NATO membership “unacceptable” and a “direct threat,” demanded that NATO disavow its 2008 promise to Ukraine, and cited Ukraine’s NATO aspirations as a justification for its 2022 invasion³⁴⁵.
• Russia therefore did not state that it is not its place to dictate on both EU and NATO membership; it explicitly maintains a right to oppose NATO membership while saying it will not dictate EU membership.

Overall validity: 0%

1. Russia, opposed to Ukraine's Nato membership, says joining European Union is Kyiv’s ‘sovereign right’ – Firstpost
2. Russia: Ukraine has a ‘sovereign right’ to join EU — but not NATO – POLITICO
3. Russia says NATO states can't enforce Ukraine peace, wants membership pledge scrapped
4. Ukraine–NATO relations
5. Russia never ‘objected’ to EU membership for Ukraine, Putin claims