Xinhua, Moscow :
Russia sees no alternative to relations with the European Union (EU) and is ready to discuss creation of a free trade zone with the EU, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Tuesday.
Speaking at a meeting of the Association of European Business, Lavrov stressed Russia remained open to cooperation with all regional economies other than the Eurasian Union, and was ready to step up its cooperation with the EU which he praised as a reliable energy partner.
Russia is ready to discuss the free trade zone with the EU and “build the integration model step-by-step,” RIA Novosti news agency quoted him as saying.
Lavrov also welcomed EU’s changing position over the Russia- Ukraine gas issues, voicing hope that the European Commission would drop politicized approach and take into account the interests of people and business of its member countries, as attempts to sever Russia-EU economic ties will not benefit businesses.
Meanwhile, Lavrov reiterated that Moscow was not planning to discuss preconditions for the removal of Western sanctions.
“We consider EU’s restrictions as illegal and condemned by the UN General Assembly,” Lavrov said, adding that Russia would come up with long-term protective measures against those sanctions in future.
The latest EU sanctions in September banned the 28-member bloc’ s nationals and companies from providing loans to five Russian state-owned banks, and restricted Russia’s three major oil companies and three defense companies from receiving capital in Europe.
