Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov regards the European Union as Russia’s strategic partner.

Speaking at a meeting with foreign businessmen on Wednesday, he said that “EU is Russia’s closest neighbour and partner both in politics and economy.” According to Lavrov, those relations “are acquiring a new quality, and we have every reason to describe them today as strategic partnership.” “We are satisfied with the level of our relations,” the Russian Foreign Minister stressed.

According to Lavrov, the recent developments in the Caucasus showed once again that “Russia and EU need each other.” “There are many important problems, which just cannot be settled without our participation. At the same time, we regard our strategic partnership with EU not as a result, but as a basis for a further development of cooperation,” Lavrov said.