BRUSSELS - The European Union will have to prove through action that the Eastern Partnership program is really not targeted against Russia, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said.
“Our European partners realize that and have assured us, for instance, that was done by Federica Mogherini at negotiations with me yesterday, that the Eastern Partnership will not develop to the prejudice of Russian interests. They are using the correct words but we would like these words to be confirmed with actions. Let us see whether this can happen at the Riga summit,” Lavrov said at a press conference on May 19, after a meeting of the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers.
“We cannot push any decisions on the European Union and its partners. All we want, and our colleagues from Brussels have been aware of that for a long time, is that the processes evolving between the European Union and the countries wishing to deepen economic and humanitarian relations with the EU, do not harm to the lawful interests of Russia,” the foreign minister said.
“Unfortunately, there has been a contradistinction. Attempts to present the situation as an “either or” choice, a zero-sum game, have rather unwelcome and unfavorable results,” Lavrov said.
