AKIPRESS.COM - President of Kyrgyzstan Almazbek Atambayev during his trip to Brussels gave an interview to Euronews correspondent Natasha Richardson.

Richardson asked about Kyrgyzstan's accession to the Eurasian Economic Union and if it reflected the interests of Russia in the first place.

Almazbek Atambayev responded: "If we didn't join the Eurasian Economic Union, we'd simply face blockade. In 2010, when Kazakhstan closed its doors for us for 1.5 months, we even had human casualties. This happened because blockade is a bad thing. Were we given an alternative, what would we join? Afghanistan, or what? We are ready to join the European Union even today. I suggested it, but I got an open answer: we do not have common borders. Then what are you offering to us? We have 6 million people. Should we isolate ourselves and live in the jungle, or what? We need to develop, we need a market.

Responding to question whether the EAEU reflected the interests of Russia in the first place, Atambayev said "it might be that way, but today this Union is profitable for Kyrgyzstan."