NEW DELHI, August 25. /TASS/. European countries should normalize relations with Russia, which is in line with their national interests, Jeffrey Sachs, director of the Center for Sustainable Development at Columbia University in New York, said.

"I’ve said to Europe, get your diplomacy together and go have normal diplomacy with Russia. Discuss, negotiate, don’t depend on the United States for this, which has completely different interests," the economist told the Hindustan Times in an interview.

The expert pointed out that Europe, especially Germany, had a successful experience of economic ties with Russia. After 1991, Russia was providing hydrocarbons to Germany at cheap prices, making it possible for Berlin to build its heavy industry. But "now, the German energy advantage is gone."

According to Sachs, there are a couple of reasons behind Europe's policy of confrontation with Moscow. First, in his words, the US "has actively cultivated and manipulated the European political environment for decades," particularly seeking to limit Europe’s cooperation with Russia. "The Russophobia that is underway in Europe is another factor," he went on to say. "They all think Russia is about to invade Europe – it’s the most absurd conceivable idea," Sachs stressed, adding that such concerns only increased European countries’ dependence on US military support.

Earlier, Finnish President Alexander Stubb said that discussions of a possible resumption of communication with Russia were underway in Europe. According to him, nothing can change the fact that Russia is and will always be Finland’s neighbor, but the future of relations depends on an end to the conflict in Ukraine. The Hungarian leadership has also highlighted the need for Europe to reconsider its anti-Russian policy. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban urged the leaders of European countries, namely Germany and France, to hold a summit with Russia similar to the August 15 meeting between the presidents of Russia and the US. Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares, in turn, admitted that Europe realized the need to restore relations with Moscow in the figure. He added that the process should be implemented based on equality and mutual respect.