Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov said Sunday, Nov 10, there will be no confrontation with Russia.

“We not just don’t want confrontation [with Russia], but we will never allow it,” he told the Ukrainian TV channel Inter, according to RIA Novosti. “There will be no enmity between Russia and Ukraine, at least while our government and our president are at the helm.”

Kyiv hopes to sign an Association Agreement and a free trade deal with the European Union in late November. Russia’s authorities have repeatedly said they would have to introduce protective measures should Ukraine proceed with the agreements.

Tensions between the two countries are running high as Ukraine has repeatedly rejected Moscow’s offers to join the Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan.