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Russia to promote Eurasian Economic Union and seek closer relations with EU

BRUSSELS, February 18. /ITAR-TASS/. Russia will promote the idea of the Eurasian Economic Union and concurrently take efforts to expand its relations with the European Union, Russia’s Permanent Representative at the European Union Vladimir Chizhov said on Tuesday.

“This is not a matter of choice between two options,” he said. “Russia opts for both the development of the Eurasian Economic Union and closer relations with the European Union.”

He also said that a free trade zone between the European Union and the Eurasian Economic Union, which is now being formed by Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, may be established by 2020.

Chizhov took part in consultations on strategic partnership between Russia and the European Union in Brussels.

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