Kyrgyzstan President Almazbek Atambayev has been on an extended tour of Europe meeting major European Union leaders. He plans to go to Moscow soon to sign up to full membership of the Russian-led Eurasian bloc. He spoke to euronews’ correspondent Andrei Beketov

Euronews: “Mr. President, welcome to euronews. Can we regard your visit to Brussels as something of a farewell before Kyrgyzstan joins the Eurasian Economic Union in May and when you will stop getting closer to the European Union?”

Atambayev: “On the contrary. I think, as a part of the Eurasian Union, Kyrgyzstan will be pushing it towards tight engagement with the European Union. Europe should extend from Lisbon and Brussels – to Vladivostok, and of course, I think, to Bishnek.”

Euronews: “Why did Bishnek decide to associate with Moscow rather than with Brussels?”

Atambayev: “We are ready to join the European Union. But when, two years ago I said that we are always ready to sign an agreement with the EU, I was told that