NOVOSIBIRSK, June 05. /ITAR-TASS/. European aircraft consortium Airbus will maintain full-fledged co-operation with Russian companies despite Western sanctions on Russia over events in Ukraine, Airbus Group Executive Committee member Jean Botti said on Thursday.

“I feel sorry for the current situation in Russia,” Botti said at the plenary sesion at forum on technological development.

“But we should keep working... We have a great number of technologies we can provide to Russia. And we are ready to co-operate further.” About 400 Airbus engineers currently working in Russia would continue their activities, Botti said.

Airbus had more than 17,000 patents on various innovations and was ready to provide these to Russian customers, he added.

Airbus Group known as the European Aeronautic Defense and Space Company (EADS) until January 1, 2014 - is a global leader in aerospace, defense and related services. The Group comprises Airbus as a leading global manufacturer of highly innovative commercial aircraft, Airbus Defense and Space as defense and space leader in Europe, providing tanker, combat, transport and mission aircraft as well as space systems, equipment and services, and Airbus Helicopters which offers the widest range of civil and military helicopters in the world.