Putin: relations between the EU and Russia have deteriorated greatly

Relations between Russia and the European Union have recently deteriorated greatly, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a ceremony of presenting credentials by foreign ambassadors in the Grand Kremlin Palace. At the same time, the head of state expressed hope for the normalization of relations between the Russian Federation and the EU.

“The head of the European Union Delegation, who is here, probably shares the opinion that relations between this association and Russia have deteriorated greatly in recent years, to our great regret. We see the reason for this in the fact that, leaving aside its main, original mission and function of developing economic cooperation and integration on the European continent, the European Union initiated a geopolitical confrontation with Russia – it initiated a confrontation with our country, – declared the president.

At the same time, Putin, speaking at the ceremony, expressed the hope that all actions that damage relations between Russia and the EU will remain in the past and “we will do everything to build them in the right way for both Russia and the economies member countries of this organization. The head of state said that Russia hopes that the logic of mutual cooperation will prevail over time.

On April 4, in an interview with the Arguments and Facts newspaper, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov declaredthat Russia views the European Union as an unfriendly association, because of their actions, the EU countries “lost” Russia. In early December 2022, at a press conference on European security, Lavrov declaredthat the old relations between Russia and the West will not be restored.

In February of this year, Vasily Nebenzya, Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the UN, during a speech at a meeting of the Security Council of the World Organization for Cooperation between the UN and the European Union declaredthat relations between Russia and the EU, in fact, no longer exist. According to him, Russia sees that measures are being taken in the EU on how best to “dismember” and destroy it. According to the diplomat, the EU statements about good neighborliness and partnership with Russia were nothing more than a way to cover up preparations for a confrontation with Moscow with the hands of Kyiv.