MOSCOW, March 25. /TASS/. The interference of the European Union in domestic affairs of Russia’s closest allies as well as economic and information pressure on Moscow prevented normalization of relations, reads the Russian Foreign Ministry’s review of the 2020 foreign policy results published Thursday on its website.
"The relations with the European Union could not be rehabilitated because it [Brussels] linked the issue of normalization of bilateral ties with the settlement of the domestic Ukrainian conflict, interfered in domestic affairs of our closest allies and ramped up its propaganda and economic pressure on our country," the document reads. "Russia was forced to adequately and proportionally respond to these hostile actions."
Despite these negative moments, contacts were maintained on both high and highest levels. "Four phone conversations and one personal meeting took place between Russian President Vladimir Putin and President of the European Council [Charles Michel] as well as five phone calls and one personal meeting between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy [Josep Borrell]," the diplomatic agency recalled.
The trade and economic cooperation remained a "safety net" that maintained the relations between Russia and the EU. "Despite the fact that the trade turnover fell by 21.3% in comparison with 2019 to reach $218.8 billion, the EU accounted for 38.5% of Russia’s foreign trade," the review notes.