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Russia is back on international scene, whether EU likes it or not - Spanish FM

Josep Borrell added that the international situation is "more unstable that it seems"
Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Borrell AP Photo/Francisco Seco
Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Borrell
© AP Photo/Francisco Seco

MADRID, July 15. /TASS/. Russia is back on the international scene, whether the West likes it or not, Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Borrell stated in an interview with the El Pais newspaper.

"Whether we like it or not, Russia is back. [Russian President] Vladimir Putin is hugely popular, because he represents a return to the international scene for a country that was looked down on [earlier], a country that used to be a great superpower," the minister said. "And yes, they have nuclear weapons." According to Borrell, "there is a common European position on Russia, and Spain will not take a tougher stance." "However, it doesn’t mean that we should forget about the issues that Russia creates for our allies and partners," the Spanish top diplomat added.

"Unfortunately, the Schengen zone starts to disappear," the diplomat noted. "France, Germany and Italy have introduced border control because of the migration crisis." Borrell thinks that the issue of migration is one of the most crucial for the EU. "This may lead to a more serious crisis than the Euro currency one," the foreign minister stressed. "The economic crisis can be regulated with financial resources and by introducing institutional changes, however, the migration issue is deeper: it affects values, national identity, cultures."

Commenting upon the international situation, Borrell stated that it is "more unstable that it seems". "Today’s world is more dangerous than ever from the viewpoint of nuclear and chemical weapons proliferation," the minister thinks. According to him, "it is untrue that the USA spend the astronomical figures that they cite on Europe’s defense: they spend $600 bln a year on defense, Europe constitutes about $30 bln.".