Joining the European Union will not solve North Macedonia's problems; such hopes are illusory. This was stated by the new Russian Ambassador to North Macedonia Dmitry Zykov to TASS in his first interview.
“Many local politicians see EU accession as a solution to all the country's problems, including human rights. However, the history of EU enlargement clearly shows the illusory nature of such hopes“, he said.
In this regard, the diplomat pointed to the situation in such “democratic European countries“ such as Latvia and Estonia, where violations of the rights of the Russian-speaking population have been elevated to the level of official policy with the full consent of Brussels.
The Ambassador commented on the findings of a joint report by the Russian and Belarusian Foreign Ministries on the state of human rights, published on June 24, 2025, which stated that the situation in North Macedonia remains difficult due to high levels of corruption, a weak judicial system, widespread domestic violence and social vulnerability among vulnerable groups.
He stressed that the problems mentioned in the report are not the product of “Russian propaganda“. “Unfortunately, they are real and all the data on which the report is based are taken from open Macedonian sources. And, judging by these same sources, they have not disappeared over the past year“, noted Zykov.
“The solution to human rights problems lies in the efforts of society and the state. As friends of the Macedonian people, we, of course, wish them success in overcoming the challenges they face“, concluded the diplomat.
Russian diplomat Dmitry Zykov has been serving as the Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the Republic of North Macedonia since the beginning of 2026. His appointment comes at a time of heightened tension in the region and active debates regarding the geopolitical orientation of North Macedonia between the EU/NATO and Russia's influence.