Russia has no intention of going into isolation, relations with the West will return to their previous level sooner or later, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Monday addressing students of the Urals Federal University, TASS reports.
Recall that today, Lavrov will hold meeting with German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
"We do not make a tragedy out of this," he said. "We have said on numerous occasions that taking offence, going into isolation is no choice of ours. I am confident that our ties will return to a sustainable path sooner or later," he added.
He went on to say that relations between Russia and Germany are going through the most difficult period since the unification of Germany.
"Today the Russian-German relations are going through a difficult period," the minister said. "I think this is the most difficult period since Germany’s unification that occurred with our country’s active and decisive role."
He also noted that "there is a growing awareness in Europe that there is no alternative to normalizing relations."
Lavrov added that freezing cooperation between Russia and the EU, including in the energy sector, "was, of course, a mistake."
According to Lavrov, the West decided to lay the blame for the failure of its policy in Ukraine on Russia. "Our proposals to harmonize the Euro-Atlantic security principles have been rejected. NATO’s course towards eastward expansion at any price, without exaggeration, is deepening division lines on the continent," the minister said.
"When this course that is undermining the balance of interests and stability in Europe lost its footing in Ukraine there were attempts of shifting the fault on Russia," TASS quoted him as saying.
