"If closed regional trade and integration structures are created, — I mentioned the Trans-Pacific Partnership [TTP], Americans are also promoting the idea of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership [TTIP] in the Euro-Atlantic space — there are concerns that by establishing such closed integration associations, their initiators may wittingly or unwittingly lead to the depreciation of the universal principles of the WTO to transfer the center of gravity to such narrow formats."
The planned EU-US free trade deal has sparked much controversy in Europe, with thousands-strong protests taking place in several EU member states over the last few months.
The Russian foreign minister said that attempts should be made to "harmonize the integration processes", mentioning the idea of creating a free trade zone between the two integration associations – the European Union and the Eurasian Economic Union.
A year before establishment of the EEU, in January 2014, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Moscow proposed to Brussels for the creation of a free trade area between the two integration associations. Early in April 2015 Lavrov said that Moscow’s offer still stands.
