MOSCOW, June 21. /TASS/. The European Commission's newly proposed strategy towards Russia - "Push Back, Constrain and Engage" - is a manifestation of medieval obscurantism, and not an approach worthy of the 21st century, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on the program 60 Minutes on the Rossiya-1 federal television channel, while commenting on a strategy the EU's top diplomat, Josep Borrell, mentioned at a news conference following the EU Council's meeting in Luxembourg. 

"I have no idea with whom it has ever worked — to push back, constrain and engage at the same time. Generally speaking, all this sounds like a clinical case to me. Such an approach is utterly inappropriate in relations with anyone in his right mind, with any normal country or an alliance of countries. By and large, this kind of approach is utterly out of place in the 21st century. It smacks of medieval obscurantism a little bit: one point on the globe suddenly decides that everybody else should perform the function of vassals. This is a program for vassal states. They must've got it all wrong," Zakharova said.

Earlier on Monday, Borrell said the EU heads of state and government at their summit on June 24-25 will discuss a new EU strategy for Russia the European Commission proposed on June 16 — Push Back, Constrain and Engage.

As follows from the draft, the EU is going to resist Russia's alleged attempts at interference in the affairs of EU states and neighboring countries, restrict Russia's growing influence in Europe and around the world that may run counter to the EU interests and values, but at the same time to involve Russia in a dialogue on matters of mutual interest: climate, the struggle against the pandemic and the settlement of regional and international conflicts.