The European Union's top diplomat Josep Borrell said during a visit to Moscow on Friday that the bloc's ties with Russia were under "severe strain".
"Our relationship is indeed in a difficult moment," Borrell said at the start of talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, adding that "certainly our relations are under severe strain and the Navalny case is a low point".
Following the talks, Lavrov said the EU and Russia were at odds over many issues, warning of "unpredictable consequences" should relations deteriorate further.
Borrell's visit – the first to Russia by a top EU envoy since 2017 – has drawn criticism from some European capitals worried Moscow will spin it as evidence Brussels is keen to return to business as normal.
“It is when things are not going well that you must engage,” the former Spanish foreign minister said ahead of his trip.
