Russia is no longer planning to initiate joint projects with the European Union, given that the West has been effectively waging a hybrid war against Moscow, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in his interview with TASS on Dec. 27.
According to Lavrov, relations between Moscow and the EU are “at historic lows” for what he said were well-known reasons. “Soon after the special military operation was launched, the EU’s Brussels followed in the footsteps of the U.S. and NATO to wage a hybrid war against us. The EU’s diplomacy chief Josep Borrell was one of the first to call for Russia’s defeat on the battlefield,” Lavrov recounted.
“Naturally, there will be no more ‘business as usual’ with such counterparties. We do not intend either to knock on closed doors or initiate any joint projects….” Lavrov emphasized. “Fortunately, the European Union is not our only partner; we have many friends and like-minded forces in other parts of the world.”
Lavrov blasted the EU’s ruling circles for “acting to the detriment of the fundamental interests and wellbeing of their citizens. They are obediently following the overseas hegemon’s anti-Russian course on almost all issues, and sometimes even move into the lead.”
Nevertheless, Moscow is prepared to cooperate with more pragmatic European leaders in the future, he said. “If and when Europe begins to feel the cruel hangover from the current Russophobic zeal and then sobers up, if coherent national-oriented politicians appear there who understand the advantages of an equal and mutually beneficial partnership with Russia, I assure you, there will be no problems on our side. But so far, we have what we have. We are realists. We will continue to work with those few Europeans who value their friendship with Russia. We are not going to cooperate with the Russophobes.”
The full interview is posted to the Foreign Ministry’s website. (https://www.mid.ru/en/foreign_policy/news/1845618/ )
