European Commission condemned pressure on Ukraine and other post-Soviet states that are trying to expand trade ties with EU.

“Today, countries like Ukraine are more than ever seeking closer ties to the European Union, attracted by our economic and social model. We cannot turn our back on them. We cannot accept any attempts to limit these countries own sovereign choices. Free will and free consent need to be respected.

These are also the principles that lie at the basis of our Eastern Partnership, which we want to take forward at our summit in Vilnius,” President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso said.

European Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighbourhood Policy Stefan Fule will address the European Parliament on the issue later in the day.