The Russian government asked Ukraine to consider delaying signing an Association Agreement with the EU to conduct further talks, said Ukrainan PM Mykola Azarov.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov said Wednesday his country would continue to work toward European integration even as Kiev has suspended talks on a landmark deal with the European Union (EU).

Ukraine said on Tuesday it would not let itself become an East-West ‘battleground’ and its president declared he would attend an EU summit to explain why Kiev had turned down a landmark trade deal in favor of closer cooperation with Moscow.