ISTANBUL, October 22. /TASS/. Discussing any normalization between Russia and the European Union (EU) cannot take place without radical changes to the policy course being pursued by Europe which is preparing for war, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said, addressing the XIX Verona Eurasian Economic Forum.

"There can be no discussing any bringing our relations back to normal without radical changes to the EU’s current foreign policy course in which the economy, military construction, military planning, weapons purchases, the situation in society and the preparation of society pursue the sole task of preparing for war with Russia and actually waging a hybrid war already today," the senior Russian diplomat argued.

"Today, the demonization of Russia and the Russian threat, given the crisis the European Union itself is facing, is effectively the only thing that keeps these EU countries in some kind of tense unity."