BRUSSELS (Sputnik) — Russia's Permanent Representative to the European Union Vladimir Chizhov said Tuesday that the time for a bilateral strategic partnership is "long overdue."
"The moment has not only come, but it is even long overdue. It is necessary to look at the fields and areas of cooperation that meet the pressing needs of both sides," Chizhov told reporters.
Since 2014, relations between Russia and the European Union and the United States, deteriorated amid the crisis in Ukraine. Brussels, Washington and their allies introduced several rounds of sanctions against Russia on the pretext of its alleged involvement in the Ukrainian conflict, which Moscow has repeatedly denied. In response to the restrictive measures, Russia has imposed a food embargo on some products originating in countries that have targeted it with sanctions.