Russia's Permanent Representative to the European Union, Vladimir Chizhov, said that 2015 could be described as one of the most difficult in the nearly quarter-century history of relations between Russia and the EU.
"Unfortunately, the difficulties that have been created in our relations by the other side have not been overcome in the course of the year, and this prevented the normalization of these relations, which has been and remains our goal," he said.
At the same time, according to the ambassador, "we managed to save some things in our dialogue." He believes that "some signs of awareness of the need to restore full partnership are very important." "Not as a return to the old 'business as usual' format, but to recreate a renewed partnership on an equal footing, on the basis of mutual interests and common understanding of the strategic prospects of cooperation," Interfax cited the ambassador as saying.
Chizhov pointed out that this year may be remembered as the first time "when we have not held the EU-Russian summit since the entry into force of the Agreement on Partnership and Cooperation in 1997."
He negatively assessed the situation, stressing "it has been almost two years since the last summit, as it took place in January 2014."
The head of the Russian diplomatic mission to the EU said that "2015 was a year of missed opportunities in terms of a real dialogue at the highest level".
A senior research officer of the Center for European Studies (University) at the Moscow State University of Foreign Affairs, Vladimir Olenchenko, stressed in an interview with Vestnik Kavkaza that in summing up the relations between Russia and Europe in 2015, "it is necessary to proceed from the fact that this year the sanctions regime was introduced." Moreover, it was introduced on the initiative of the European Union, more precisely, the group of EU countries that is not interested in the development of relations. Accordingly, retaliatory measures were introduced from our side," he said.
"As for the missed opportunities, then yes, they were missed. The fact is that our relations are more economic than political, and the economy, as we know, is based on economic benefits. And trade turnover between Russia and the EU has declined by more than a third. Of course, this is a negative moment," the expert added.
"On the other hand, several countries are already beginning to declare publicly the need to improve the situation, which is a positive thing. I mean Greece and Italy. And France has only partially agreed with it. But previously we heard only the voices urging to tighten the positions: Britain, Poland, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia," he said.
"It's also good that at the end of the year the EU summit will be held, and, accordingly, the issue of sanctions against Russia may be considered there. The former Chairman of the European Union, José Manuel Barroso, has ensured that the issue of sanctions was discussed almost only at the level of permanent representatives," Olenchenko noted.
"But recently Italy has raised the question that the issue should be considered at the summit. I would say that there is a certain sobering up in the European Union and also the separation between states which have traditionally stood in positions of Russophobia and states which are interested in maintaining good relations with Russia," the analyst believes.
"Next year, of course, will be eventful – the elections in the United States, France and Germany. Of course, all the applicants for participation in the elections will use the Russian factor," the expert said.
"NATO has entered into competition with the European Union. It is now trying to determine the policy of the whole of Europe and Russia, allowing the EU to agree with it. NATO certainly plays a negative role, but there is a certain sanity in the activities of the European Union now," Vladimir Olenchenko concluded.
