LONDON — Russia has said it is ready to cut ties with the European Union, according to a fragment of an interview published on Russia’s foreign ministry website Friday morning. The comments mark yet another escalation in tensions between the two sides.
When asked if Russia was heading for a break with the European Union, Russia’s Foreign Affairs Minister Sergey Lavrov said: “We proceed from the fact that we are ready (for that). In the event that we again see sanctions imposed in some sectors that create risks for our economy, including in the most sensitive spheres,” according to a translation of the comments by Reuters.
“We don’t want to isolate ourselves from global life, but we have to be ready for that. If you want peace then prepare for war,” Lavrov added.
Neither the Russian foreign affairs ministry nor the European Commission, the executive arm of the EU, was immediately available for comment when contacted by CNBC on Friday.
The relationship between Russia and the EU hit a new low last week when the EU’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, visited his counterpart in Moscow. It has since been described as a “humiliating” trip by analysts.
Borrell went to voice the EU’s opposition to the arrest of Alexei Navalny, a fierce critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin. However, he accused Russia of putting together “an aggressively-staged press conference” during his trip.
In remarks to the press, Lavrov said that, “the EU is not a reliable partner, at least at the current stage.” Borrell failed to address that comment, which sparked anger among some European lawmakers.
In addition, Borrell learned 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 did not want to seize this opportunity to have a more constructive dialogue with the EU,” Borrell said in a blog post two days after his trip.
As a result, he has suggested that the EU should impose fresh sanction on Russia — a decision that needs to be approved by European governments.
It would not be the first time that Russian companies and individuals have been sanctioned by the EU. Their relationship has deteriorated significantly since 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 stance that new U.S. President Joe Biden has shown no indication of changing.
this is from interview and CNBC faked a lot of what he said not to mention that Lavrov was speculating from the position as a private man or diplomacy professional, which would mostly not hit the case and was not warning or explaining the official position of the state.
>In remarks to the press, Lavrov said that, “the EU is not a reliable partner, at least at the current stage.” Borrell failed to address that comment, which sparked anger among some European lawmakers.
Say what you will about Russia but they're right about the EU. Just look at how reliable the EU is at meeting their requirements under NATO. I think somewhere in translation their military requirements got translated into "Bitching about America"
Michael Jenkins
>required to buy DLC addon bullshit boondoggles such as the F-35 cooked up by trust frund fratboys or you hate america
Maybe dont make shit and people will buy it?
Christian Campbell
I'd agree with you if that was the only problem but for fuck's sake, you retards barely have a standing military. You slap a bunch of untrained idiots in uniform and turn it into a big ol' inclusivity display and then cry foul when the US does anything and cry foul that the US didn't do enough when some KNOWN TO EU OFFICIALS terrorist slams a truck into some baguette eating, schnitzel gobbling, fart sniffing Eurotrash.
Andrew Diaz
kek. you neither get the problem nor the offered solution for it. you are just a fucking cunt taking jew dicks nonstop.
Oliver Evans
Don't really need a standing military when Russian pieces of shit cant even drive around red square for a parade without catching on fire or get capsized when being put on a lowloader. How are these squat-shitting chinkies supposed to get to us when they have to get through the butthurt belt of Poland et al and a picket of American hillbillies? Just keep wasting your money posturing away at Russia border, it makes no difference if the Us is there to "defend" us or not. And who cares about some sandniggers running over some baguetteniggers or sauerkrautniggers anyway? Pro-tip: I live on an island.
John King
kys
Nathan Hernandez
More Russian posturing. I wish those twats would leave so there economy would start its slow collapse but they never will.
Also is it just me or do all totalitarian dictatorships do this "do what we want or we are gonna leave, despite the fact the only reason the population isn't rioting is because we participate in globalism" shit or is it just me?
Hunter Gutierrez
Ireland?
Ayden Adams
Globohomo being refused out of it's old capital. Poccия для poccиян
Benjamin Barnes
Oh Qaren, no need to pretend that (You) can read around here. 'Bye Qaren.
Hunter Howard
>Russian trollbotskis working overtime for that krokadil fix Watching Russia burn on livestream is very entertaining these days. Putin's crime cartel is already seen as worse than anything the Soviets ever inflicted upon the Russian people. How much longer can the desperate manlet cling to fragments of power? Every day he kills more Russians so he and his crime gang can become a little richer. So many glorious Russia STRONK!
Eli King
>56% mixed tranny bitching about Euros
YWNBAW
Ian Rivera
EU is a criminal organization.Anyone staying is either crazy or communist. Hillary Clinton hates Russia and is why i love russia.But really Putin has done an amazing job keeping the pieces together and honestly the only ones bitching about crimea seems to be the jewish world press..
