MOSCOW, August 3. /TASS/. European leaders reject the possibility of Ukraine joining the European Union in the future during internal discussions, Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) said in a statement.

"According to reports received by the SVR, despite elaborate speeches by European bureaucrats about Ukraine becoming an EU member ‘in the bright future,’ European leaders have strongly denied such a possibility during internal discussions," the agency said, referring to the "chimera of Ukraine’s EU future."

Meanwhile, "European bureaucrats are intent on continuing to mislead the Ukrainian people, seeking to use them as ‘cannon fodder’ in the confrontation with Russia." "In order to prevent Ukrainians from becoming disappointed in Malorossiya’s ‘pivot away from Europe’ in the coming years, Brussels gave them a carrot in June by suggesting the launch of pre-accession talks with Ukraine. In addition, there are plans to invite Kiev to participate in European security policy, albeit without voting rights," the statement added.

According to the SVR, Ukrainian diplomats "have reported to their seniors on where things really stand but as the Kiev regime realizes that its existence depends entirely on European financial and military assistance, it is willing to play along with European officials, deceiving its own people."

"In fact, both Kiev and Brussels need Ukrainian territory to test advanced weapons and new warfare concepts. European daydreamers hope that it might help inflict ‘a strategic defeat’ on Russia. However, such fantasies have no real basis. We are confident that the Ukrainian people will eventually wake up to realize who has led them into a crisis and where their future truly lies," the Russian intelligence agency concluded.