Prominent political expert, he is Deputy Director of the Institute of European Studies under the Russian Academy of Sciences, and second in charge of the federal Council for Foreign and Defence Policies.
"There are big problems dividing Russia and the EU. First, Europe is not at all sure whether it ought to take Russia in. Second, Russia cannot join for now, and is not willing," he said to the National Press Club, one of Denmark's longest-established and most influential public leagues, as Novosti was hosting its members today.
"Regrettably, the way it is today, the European Union is not quite a worthy partner in certain respects. Talks were on, problems were debated, there were efforts to come to an accord on particular issues. It was all in vain-and, believe me, not because Russia was too stubborn. European countries have to consider Brussels for everything they do, and Brussels works slowly as each its decision demands consensus.
"That is largely why Russia is slanting toward the USA for its principal partner. Not that we are so anxious about it-we merely have no choice.
"To the USA, we are a kind of special partner, and are coming up as go-between. In that, we are duly reckoning with European opinions because we Russians share them. With the entire Old World, we don't want to see a collapse of available international relations, the UN network included. An adventure-seeking unilateral policy is also something we don't want.
"I don't think current Russian policies can be described as pro-Western or anti-Western-they are pro-Russian," concluded the expert.
