Ukraine used as wedge between Russia, EU: Kremlin official

The West uses the Ukrainian conflict as a tool of its geopolitical goals, a Kremlin official said Thursday.

"It is getting more obvious that our Western partners, first of all those across the ocean, see Ukraine as a tool to achieve their geopolitical goals," Sergei Ivanov, head of the Kremlin administration, told a meeting with governors.

"The primary goal is to drive a wedge between Russia and the European Union," he said.

Ivanov admitted he feels little optimism about the outcome of what he called the "civil war" in Ukraine.

The West is not worried about the fate of the Ukrainian people, he said, pointing at Western countries' reluctance to deliver financial aid to Kiev.

He asked the governors to be prepared to host the increasing number of refugees from Ukraine's southeast region.

"They are not foreigners, we consider them as ours," he said.

Meanwhile, Ivanov slammed Polish authorities for the plans to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II.

He called the proposal to organize celebrations in the port city of Gdansk as an attempt to divert the world's attention from the Victory Day parade to be held in Moscow on May 9.

Gdansk was attacked by the Nazi Germany on Sept. 1, 1939, which triggered World War II.

Ivanov said it is inappropriate to mark the defeat of Nazism in that city as it has nothing to do with the victory gained six years later.

"It is necessary to defend historical truth and talk about the contribution of the Soviet Union to the liberation of East Europe," he said. Endi