Russia-EU relations to remain priority for Moscow

Relations with the EU will remain Russia's foreign policy priority, despite the "complexity of the current situation," Russian Foreign Ministry said Saturday.

"Relations with the EU - our neighbor and our largest trading partner - objectively will remain one of the priorities of Russian foreign policy in the years ahead," according to a year-end statement published on the ministry's website.

As the West has imposed several rounds of sanctions on Russia for its alleged role in the escalation of Ukraine crisis, the EU is believed by Moscow to waver over further restrictive measures, which also brought negative effects to its members' economies.

On Russian-U.S. relations, the ministry stressed that restoration is possible only if Washington is ready to conduct an equal dialogue with Moscow, respecting each other's interests.

Escalating tensions between the two countries only resulted from the wilful choices of the U.S. to step up pressure on Moscow by imposing more sanctions, it said.

Nevertheless, the ministry noted that in 2014 the U.S. and Russia had not scrapped cooperation on major international issues.

"Russia-US high- and highest-level contacts are maintained on the situation in Ukraine, Syrian crisis, Iran nuclear settlement, resolution of conflict in the Middle East and North Africa," the statement said.

The ministry reiterated the urgency of achieving "lasting peace and national reconciliation" in Ukraine and creating "a state system with which would make all Ukrainians feel comfortable, safe and dignified".

Meanwhile, the ministry laid hope in the success of Eurasian Economic union   (EEU), which will take effect from Jan. 1, 2015. The project acquired special dynamics in 2014, the ministry said, adding that the EEU is open for any other country that would like to join in.

The EEU is designed with the mission to increase economic cooperation within the member states as they agree to guarantee the free flow of goods, services, capital and labor and to implement a coordinated policy in the energy, industrial, agricultural and transport sectors.

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