MOSCOW, March 23. /TASS/. The current deplorable situation in relations between the European Union and Russia are the result of Brussels’ deliberate political course, Russian Permanent Representative to the European Union Vladimir Chizhov said on Tuesday.

"The current situation [in relations between Russia and the European Union] is lamentable. It is abnormal. It is the result of the conscious or, maybe, sometimes unconscious, political course pursued by the leadership of EU structures here in Brussels," he said in an interview with the Rossiya-24 television channel.

"Nevertheless, I have grounds to think that people [in the European Union] <…> believe that it is necessary to have relations with Russia," he added.

According to the Russian diplomat, the European Union and Russia have much in common. "It is our common <…> civilization, geopolitics," he explained. "It is our common, as a matter of fact, culture and the numerous ties linking our peoples, and the complementarity of our economies. After all, even in the current situation there is no denying the fact that EU countries account for 40% of Russia’s foreign trade.".