Russia is ready to talk with EU despite political hostility

Russian authorities sent this week new signals to the leadership of the European Union (EU) regarding their willingness to restore dialogue on the basis of mutual respect and fair commitments.

On Friday, in a telephone conversation, Russian President Vladimir Putin told his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, that Moscow is willing to resume negotiations with the community bloc, provided it shows a genuine interest in doing so.

Both leaders agreed on the importance of establishing constructive relations, as well as the return to normal dialogue based on trust.

They stated that the improvement of relations will facilitate the solution of problems related to computer security, the fight against international terrorism, healthcare challenges, the environment and the response to regional conflicts.

During the EU summit on June 24, the French president and German Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel proposed to establish dialogue with Russia, considering that there there are issues on which Moscow cannot be dispensed with, such as those related to Syria, Libya, continental security and climate change.

The French-German initiative to hold a meeting between the parties failed to win consensus, especially due to strong opposition from Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.

EU foreign ministers this week approved an extension for another six months of a package of economic restrictions against Russia.