Relations with Russia 'not frozen' despite anti-Moscow sanctions: EU's Mogherini

The European Union (EU)’s top diplomat says EU-Russia cooperation is "not frozen," expressing the readiness of the bloc to establish bilateral relations on the "pragmatic assessment of respective interests."

According to reports, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini made the remarks at a joint press conference with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov during her first official visit to Moscow in her current role on Monday, adding that progress has been hampered by profound disagreements on a number of subjects, including Ukraine.

"It is true that it (relations with Russia) is not anymore what it used to be, or what we would have liked it to be. For years the European Union and Russia were working on the perspective of a strategic partnership. We would like to go back to a situation of that kind and as I said, we are ready to explore all possible fields of cooperation," she added.

Mogherini, however, said that the union could not pretend that Russia did not "annex" Ukraine's Crimea three years ago, adding that that EU's anti-Russia sanctions would stay in place.

SS