SOCHI, December 8. /TASS/. Russia has never had anything against the participation of its neighbors and partners in any political or economic associations, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a news conference on Wednesday after the Russian-Greek talks.

"As for Greece’s membership in two blocs - in the military North Atlantic [Alliance] (NATO) and in a political and economic alliance, these are different things. We have never had anything against the presence of our closest neighbors and partners in political and economic associations," the Russian president said.

Putin said that Russia, on the contrary, considers it a huge advantage, in a certain sense. He explained that he was referring to the historical bonds between the Greeks and Russians.

"I believe that Greece, as it has happened throughout decades, has always taken and will continue to take, as far as possible, a balanced, impartial position on some issues related to cooperation between Russia and the European Union," Putin stressed.