EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell (L) and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (R) will hold a joint press conference following their meeting in Moscow, Russia on February 5, 2021 (Photo by Russian Ministry from Foreign Affairs / Handout / Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs | Anadolu Agency | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images
LONDON – Russia has said it is ready to cut ties with the European Union, according to an excerpt from an interview published on the website of Russia’s Foreign Ministry on Friday morning. The comments mark yet another escalation in tensions between the two sides.
When asked whether Russia was on the way to a break with the European Union, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said: “We assume that we are (for that) ready. In case we see sanctions being imposed again. in some sectors that create risks for our economy, including in the most sensitive areas, ”says a translation of Reuters’ comments.
“We don’t want to isolate ourselves from worldly life, but we have to be ready for it. If you want peace, prepare for war,” Lavrov added.
Neither the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs nor the European Commission the EU’s executive arm, was immediately available for comment when CNBC contacted Friday.
Relations between Russia and the EU hit a new low last week when Josep Borrell, head of EU foreign policy, visited his counterpart in Moscow. It has since been described by analysts as a “humiliating” journey.
Borrell went to express the EU’s opposition to the arrest of Alexei Navalny, a fierce critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin. However, he accused Russia of it putting together “an aggressively staged press conference” during his journey.
In comments to the press, Lavrov said that “the EU is not a reliable partner, at least at the current stage”. Borrell did not respond to that comment, which led to anger at some European legislators.
In addition, Borrell heard via Twitter during a meeting with Lavrov that Russia had expelled three EU diplomats for attending demonstrations in support of Navalny.
“An aggressively staged press conference and the expulsion of three EU diplomats during my visit indicate that the Russian authorities were unwilling to take this opportunity to engage in a more constructive dialogue with the EU,” Borrell said in a blog post two days after his trip. .
As a result, he has proposed that the EU impose new sanctions on Russia – a decision to be approved by the European governments.
It would not be the first time that Russian companies and individuals have been punished by the EU. Their relationship has since deteriorated significantly Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014, but ultimately their ties are hugely important to both given their shared economic, energy and strategic interests.
Analysts have told CNBC that the latest differences between Moscow and the EU could put pressure on the gas pipeline being built from Russia to Germany, Nord Stream 2.
The project has been sharply criticized, including by the United States, which has imposed sanctions on companies working on the pipeline – a view that new US President Joe Biden has not shown will change.