普京要求歐盟與烏克蘭重啓貿易協定談判

Vladimir Putin has demanded a reopening of the EU’s recently-ratified trade pact with Ukraine and has threatened “immediate and appropriate retaliatory measures” if Kiev moves to implement any parts of the deal, according to a letter the Russian president sent to his EU counterpart.

俄羅斯總統弗拉基米爾•普京(Vladimir Putin)致函歐盟委員會(European Commission)主席，要求歐盟與烏克蘭間最近批准的貿易協定重啓談判，並威脅稱，如果烏克蘭政府着手執行該項協定的任何內容，俄羅斯就會採取“迅速而適當的報復措施”。

The demand reflects Russia’s determination to put a brake on Ukraine’s integration into Europe and other Euro-Atlantic organisations like Nato, even after annexing Crimea and creating a pro-Russian separatist entity in the east of the country. It comes amid a fresh crackdown on Russian oligarchs, exemplified by the recent house arrest of billionaire businessman Vladimir Yevtushenkov, which was extended by a court yesterday.

這一要求表明，俄羅斯決心阻止烏克蘭融入歐洲，或加入歐洲-大西洋機構，如北約(Nato)——即便俄羅斯已經吞併克里米亞，並在烏克蘭東部扶植起一個親俄分裂主義實體。與此同時，俄羅斯對國內寡頭髮動了新一輪打擊，最近對身家億萬的商人弗拉基米爾•葉夫圖申科夫(Vladimir Yevtushenkov)的軟禁就是一例。昨日法庭下令延長軟禁。

The integration treaty was the spark that first set off the 10-month Ukraine crisis after then-president Viktor Yanukovich backed out of the deal at the eleventh hour. Petro Poroshenko, the new president, has made integration with the EU a key objective of his presidency.

歐盟與烏克蘭之間的一體化條約是引發這場持續10個月的烏克蘭危機的導火索。時任烏克蘭總統維克多•亞努科維奇(Viktor Yanukovich)在最後關頭退出該協議。新總統彼得羅•波羅申科(Petro Poroshenko)把加入歐盟列爲其總統任內的重要目標。

But it is strongly opposed by Moscow, which wants to keep Ukraine within its own economic sphere of influence.

然而，俄羅斯政府強烈反對此舉，它希望讓烏克蘭留在俄羅斯的經濟影響圈範圍內。

Mr Putin’s letter, delivered last week to European Commission president José Manuel Barroso, argues that a 15-month delay in activating the treaty agreed this month – which Brussels and Kiev regard as a period to reassure the Kremlin that it will not harm Russian ties to Ukraine – should be used to “establish negotiating teams” to make wholesale changes to the deal.

普京的信上週遞交給歐盟委員會主席若澤•曼努埃爾•巴羅佐(José Manuel Barroso)。他在信中聲稱，本月達成的該條約規定其推遲15個月生效（按照歐盟和烏克蘭的本意，這一延遲將讓克里姆林宮放心，該條約不會損害俄烏關係），這段期間應該被用於“建立談判團隊”，對該協議做出根本改動。