Lavrov Hopes Free Trade Zone for EU, Eurasian Economic Union Still Possible

Brussels does not seem very enthusiastic about the creation of a free trade zone between the EU and the Eurasian Economic Union, Sergei Lavrov said.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The offer of creating a free trade zone between the European Union and the Eurasian Economic Union is still on the table but the EU has not yet responded, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Wednesday.

“The offer remains on the table…Unfortunately, Brussels has not reacted very actively in its response to our offer on beginning the practical work on creating the proclaimed goals,” Lavrov said during a joint press conference with Armenian Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian in Moscow.

The Eurasian Economic Union (EEU), established January 1, 2015, facilitates the free movement of goods, services, capital and labor on the territories of the member states.

Current member countries include Russia, Armenia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, with Kyrgyzstan expecting to obtain membership soon.

A year before establishment of the EEU, in January 2014, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Moscow proposed Brussels create a free trade area between the European Union and the Eurasian Economic Union.

About 40 countries and groups of states have officially declared their readiness to create a free trade zone with the EEU, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Vasily Nebenzya said in December.