MOSCOW, April 18. /TASS/. Russia’s U-turn toward the East does not necessarily mean that it is closing its channels of communication with Europe, Economic Development Minister Maxim Reshetnikov said on Tuesday. He was speaking at a forum of business councils at a venue provided by the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

"However, the U-turn to the East does not mean that we are closing the ‘window on Europe.’ From our side, it [the window] is always open for all foreign partners who exhibit a constructive approach and are ready to work on an equal footing," the minister said.

In early April, at a Kremlin ceremony at which new foreign ambassadors formally presented their credentials, President Vladimir Putin stressed that, "Russia is open to constructive partnership with all countries without exception, and is not going to isolate itself from anyone, has no biases, nor, moreover, any hostile intentions."

Last November, Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Andrey Belousov noted that the EU is still Russia's major trading partner. He stressed that, compared to the second and third quarters of 2021, in physical terms, Russia’s foreign trade turnover with Europe declined by about 25%, or by a little more than $30 billion in 2021 prices.