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“We see this as an internal matter for the European Union. We are used to the European Union, as I have already mentioned, increasingly resorting to unilateral restrictions that have no legal basis,” the minister said during a press conference after his conversations with the head of EU Diplomacy, Josep Borrell.
Mr. Lavrov stressed that Russia “is building its life on the premise that the European Union is, at least at this stage, an unreliable partner.”
“I hope that the next revision of the strategy, however, addresses the fundamental interests of the European Union in its immediate vicinity. I hope that today’s negotiations will lead to a more constructive trajectory. We are ready for that,” said the head of the Ministry. of Foreign Relations of Russia.
Commenting on Navalno’s call for the EU to impose sanctions on businessmen considered close to the Kremlin, Lavrov suggested that journalists “investigate whether there is any other situation in the world in which a politician or a candidate for a political role requires that foreign states impose sanctions in their country of origin ”.
Call for the release of Navalna
Borrell said the community’s relations with Russia were strained.
“This is a really difficult period in our relations,” Borrell said when talks began with Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov.
He stressed that “our relations are very tense, they have reached a low point due to Navaln.”
Borrell’s visit is the first official visit by an EU diplomatic chief to Russia since 2017.
No member of the European Union has proposed sanctions on Russia linked to the imprisonment of Russian opposition leader Navaln, but the debate will continue, said Borrell, the head of community diplomacy visiting Moscow, on Friday.
“On sanctions: no member states of the European Union have presented their proposals at this time, but the discussion will continue in the Council of Foreign Ministers and also in the March meeting, when … a discussion will take place joint between the European Union and Russia … My “The visit to Moscow is part of the preparations for this discussion, because it is very important to decide what we will do with this relationship,” Borrell said at a press conference in Moscow after the meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
The EU foreign policy chief reiterated the Community’s call on Russia to release Navalna.
“I think a thorough and transparent investigation could provide information on the attempt to poison Mr. Navalna. But frankly, we can repeat it all we want, but the question remains,” Borrell said.
According to him, during a meeting with Lavrov, he called for the release of A. Navalna and an investigation into his poisoning.
“My visit took place at a time when Alexei Navaln was arrested and sentenced, [sulaikyta] thousands of protesters. As you can see, I expressed my deep concern to Mr. Lavrov about these events and asked that Navalna be released, that her poisoning be fully investigated, ”said Mr. Borrell.
He stressed that the EU respects Russia’s sovereignty, but recalled that Russia is “subject to the principles of the rule of law, human rights and fundamental freedoms, which are important to both the EU and Russia.”
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