MOSCOW, February 20. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed the hope that the European Union will take real steps to restore normal political and economic relations with Russia.

"We do hope that the European Union, Europe’s leading countries, will eventually take real steps to restore normal political and economic relations with Russia. The citizens of these countries are interested in such cooperation, including large, medium and small companies and the European countries’ businesses in general," Putin said in his annual message to the Federal Assembly.

"This would certainly meet our common interests."