Russia-EU ties torn to shreds by bias: FM Lavrov

Russia says the European Union has hampered normal relations with Moscow through “bias” in a way that Russia is now “perceived as stranger” in the eyes of the West.

"The bias [hinders the relations], by and large," Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said. “As former US President [Barack] Obama once said (though about the Russian economy), relations have been torn to shreds."

Many of the mechanisms of interaction between Moscow and Brussels have brought down, according to Lavrov.

In a visit to Moscow this months, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell acknowledged that relations between Brussels and Moscow have fallen to "a low point” lately.

Russia slams West’s ‘maniacal persistency’ with sanctions

The Kremlin censures the West’s “maniacal persistency” in pursuing sanctions against Russia and its reluctance to resolve contentious issues through dialog.

The Russian diplomat further said that Moscow maintains normal bilateral dialogue with EU nations outside the frames of the bloc discipline.

"Beyond the frames of this discipline, this ‘bloc solidarity,' we have a normal conversation," he said.

"Many countries maintain relations with Russia. Borrell’s visit was the first one at such a level in the past three years,” Lavrov said.

“Over this time, a couple of dozens of foreign ministers from the European Union member nations have visited Russia. We maintain a good dialogue," he added.

Lavrov also criticized EU sanctions against Russia as a way for Brussels “to bolster their self-esteem.”

“Now they begin to act in the same way as the US, including displaying the mentality of the exceptional cohort of states," said the Russian diplomat.

Lavrov echoed remarks made by President Vladimir Putin last week about the West’s strategy to “contain” Russia.

Putin said that Russia’s “numerous successes” on a military level as well as its management of the coronavirus pandemic and the development of the Sputnik V vaccine were “starting to irritate” Moscow's adversaries.

“We have had a lot of success, and it annoys them,” the president said in an interview with the Russian media, that was broadcast on a public television on Sunday.

“That’s where the containment policy, including in the economy, comes from,” he said. “The stronger we become, the stronger this containment policy.”

'Irritated' West using Navalny to 'contain' Russia: Putin

President Vladimir Putin says Western powers are exploiting the case of detained opposition figure Alexei Navalny to “contain” Moscow.

The EU has repeatedly threatened to impose sanctions on Russia over the imprisonment of Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny case.

In response to the threats, Lavrov has labelled Brussels as “an unreliable partner,” saying the Kremlin is “getting used to the fact that the European Union is trying to impose unilateral restrictions, illegitimate restrictions.”

Russian police detained him upon arrival at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport from Germany last month, five months after he was transferred to a hospital in Berlin to be treated for what the West alleged had been a nerve agent attack by Russia.

Moscow has repeatedly rejected the allegations, saying the West is exploiting the case for political reasons and using it as a pretext to impose more sanctions against Russia.

Lavrov also touched on the issue of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline that carries Russian natural gas to Europe.

The Moscow-led Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline is designed to double the capacity of the existing Nord Stream undersea gas pipeline linking Russia and Germany and to supply cheaper energy to Central European customers.

US threatens to sanction European firms helping Nord Stream 2 pipeline

The US has threatened to sanction European companies which it suspects are involved in building Russia’s Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.

Under the agreement between Moscow and Berlin, it was to be launched in mid-2020, but the project has been delayed due to hurdles imposed by the US.

"The situation with the Nord Stream 2 is absolutely straightforward", said Lavrov. “There is also no withdrawal from the demand on Europe in respect of the Nord Stream 2 to stop participating in some affairs undermining the European security.”

US singles out Russian ship for Nord Stream 2 sanctions

The US on Friday singled out a Russian ship and a company it accused of helping to build the pipeline.

The administration of President Joe Biden said in a report to Congress that the Russian ship, the Fortuna, and its owner, KVT-RUS, had been designated, a process that starts new sanctions, two lawmakers said.

“Simply put, today’s sanctions designations are wholly inadequate,” Representative Michael McCaul, the top Republican on the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee, said in a statement.

“Allowing this pipeline to be completed would be nothing short of a victory” for Russian President Vladimir Putin, he said.

The project is more than 90% complete and Russia’s state energy company, Gazprom, and its Western partners are hoping to finish it this year.

The administration of former president Donald Trump had opposed the project, saying it would increase Russia’s economic and political leverage over Europe. Moscow and Germany, however, say Nord Stream 2 is a commercial project.

Biden, according to his spokeswoman Jen Psaki, believes that the pipeline is a “bad deal” for Europe.

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