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Eurasian Economic Union

Moscow says proposal on Eurasian Economic Union free trade deal with EU still on table

The proposal was announced by Vladimir Putin in January 2014

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov Mikhail Klimentyev/Russian president's press service/TASS

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov

© Mikhail Klimentyev/Russian president's press service/TASS

MOSCOW, April 8. /TASS/. Russia’s proposal to create a free trade zone between the post-Soviet Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and the European Union is still on the table, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said after talks with his Armenian counterpart Eduard Nalbandyan on Wednesday.

"The proposal by Russian President Vladimir Putin announced back in January 2014 on creating a free trade zone between the two integration associations remains on the table," the foreign minister said.

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"The Normandy Four leaders confirmed in the declaration adopted on February 12 in Minsk in support of the document signed by the members of the Contact Group and containing a set of measures for settling the Ukraine crisis that they stand for bringing closer the integration processes on the European continent and the Eurasian space, including contacts between the European Union and the Eurasian Economic Union," Lavrov said.

"Unfortunately, Brussels is not responding very actively to our proposal so far to start practical work for implementing these proclaimed goals," the Russian foreign minister said.

The Treaty on establishing the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) was signed by the presidents of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan in Astana on May 29, 2014 and went into effect from January 1, 2015. The post-Soviet trade bloc established to ensure a free movement of goods, services, capital and workforce on its territory currently comprises Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Armenia.

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