MOSCOW, January 25. /TASS/. Russia has never been interested in the collapse of the European Union, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Wednesday.

"We have never been interested in the EU collapse. President [Vladimir] Putin has repeatedly stated that Russia wants the European Union to be strong, united and independent," Lavrov said, addressing the State Duma.

Lavrov said that Russia also wants most European countries "not to be led by a small group of Russophobes who speculate on the principle of solidarity and force the EU to follow the course, which most EU members do not like."