MOSCOW, September 13. /TASS/. The European Union, which has been Russia’s partner for many years, no longer deserves this name, Russia’s envoy to the EU, Vladimir Chizhov, said on the Rossiya-24 round-the-clock television news channel on Tuesday.

"I can say that, of course, the European Union has always been a no easy partner to do business with, but it was a partner after all. Not only a trading and economic partner for many years, but also a foreign policy one. Unfortunately, I cannot say the same about the European Union today. In short, partners do not impose sanctions on each other," he said.

Chizhov earlier confirmed that he was leaving his post in the near future as his 17-year-long assignment was coming to an end.

According to the diplomat, he was leaving Brussels with "mixed feelings."

"Of course, I regret that the current state of relations between Russia and the EU is what it is, but I think that sooner or later common sense will still prevail over current emotions," he added.