MOSCOW, April 9. /TASS/. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Thursday economic relations between Russia and Belgium were suffering amid crisis in Ukraine.

"Cooperation with Belgium is slowing or being rolled back because of problems in Russia’s relations with the West against the backdrop of the Ukraine crisis," Lavrov said, noting however "business circles’ direct interest in developing trade and economic interaction".

"Our trade ties are suffering. Trade turnover falls for the second consecutive year," he said after talks with his Belgian counterpart Didier Reynders, adding that Belgian imports to Russia experienced their biggest decline.

"There is an intergovernmental commission. We want this mechanism to resolve relevant issues," he added.

Russia’s top diplomat also expressed hope that Belgian business representatives would take part in an economic forum in the city of St. Petersburg in June.