Russia is trying by its actions against Ukraine to prevent its integration into Western structures, said US National Intelligence Agency Director Dan Coates.

"In our estimation, Moscow's strategic goal in Ukraine is to maintain a long-term influence on Kiev and to resist Ukraine's attempts to integrate into Western institutions," he said at a meeting of the US Senate Intelligence Committee.

According to Coates, "the Russian military intervention in eastern Ukraine continues for two years".

In addition, he is convinced that the Russian side is exerting "military and diplomatic" pressure on Kiev in order to force it to implement the Minsk agreements "in the Russian interpretation".

According to a poll conducted by the Razumkov Center and the Democratic Initiatives Foundation, 62% of Ukrainians would take part in the referendum on joining NATO, and 72% of them would vote for joining the alliance. According to the KIIS poll, 77% of citizens will take part in the referendum for joining the EU and 64% will vote in favor, against - 36%.