MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Relations between Russia and the European Union have taken a heavy blow and important meetings like Russia-EU summits will most likely not be seen any longer, EU Ambassador to Russia Vygaudas Usackas said.
"It should be noted that our relations in the future will not be the same as before because of blatant aggression from Russia [in regard to Ukraine] that has delivered a huge blow to trust. But on the other hand, we need to provide for fruitful cooperation in issues that obviously correspond to our mutual interests," Usackas told RIA Novosti in an interview.
Usackas said that some important summits may never be held again with Russia in the future.
"I would say that this is part of the new reality. Such high-level and important meetings that were held before the crisis in our relations like the Russia-EU summits held twice a year will most likely not occur any more," Usackas added.
"The European Union still is, and most likely, will remain Russia's major trade and investment partner," Usackas said.
According to the ambassador, some 75 percent of all Russia's foreign investment comes from EU member states. He added that 46 percent of Russian foreign trade was with the bloc in the first half of 2015.
Relations between Russia and European Union have become strained over the crisis in Ukraine. The bloc and some other Western nations have introduced several rounds of anti-Russian sanctions, accusing Moscow of involvement in the Ukrainian conflict.
Russian authorities deny any involvement in the Ukraine crisis.
