Russia and the European Union have an objective agenda that needs to be addressed. This was stated by the Deputy Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Alexander Grushko, speaking at the online forum “Northern Dimension” on Thursday, April 8.
“In particular, for example, to define the role of nuclear power, how we treat it – it is in the green zone, in the gray or red zone. Of course, this issue should be resolved through the most active dialogue, ”said Grushko.
He also drew attention to the fact that the Russian Federation and the EU “face tasks and challenges that require completely new approaches and the maximum development of all dialogue platforms.”
In addition, according to Grushko, trade between Russia and European countries is growing, despite political contradictions. He drew attention to the fact that economic ties remain, “despite a very turbulent political situation.”
At the same time, he admitted that trade and economic relations have experienced a recession for various reasons since 2013, when the trade turnover between the Russian Federation and the EU reached $ 417 billion.
The deputy head of the Russian Foreign Ministry also added that Russia and the EU are still closest neighbors and important trading partners.
Earlier on the same day, the head of the EU Delegation in Moscow, Markus Ederer, said that relations between the European Union and Russia had “reached bottom”, including with regard to the situation in Donbass.
At the same time, on April 7, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov noted that participation in the Greater Eurasian Partnership is open for the European Union if Brussels shows its interest in this.
Relations between Russia and Western countries deteriorated after the coup d’etat in Ukraine in 2014 and the return of Crimea to the Russian Federation. At the same time, Kiev began a military operation against the residents of Donbass. The Ukrainian authorities, the US and the EU, as well as a number of other countries blamed Russia for the situation and imposed sanctions.
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