BRUSSELS (Sputnik) — The European Union should consider improving relations with Russia, because the security of the bloc cannot be guaranteed in the coming centuries without Moscow, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said Tuesday.
"We have to reflect upon how to achieve better relations with Russia. It depends on both Russia and us. The security of Europe in the coming centuries cannot be built without Russia," Juncker told the conference of EU Ambassadors.
He noted that the European Union should find more appropriate rhetoric in relations with Russia without rejection of the bloc's values and principles.
"Europe is 5.5 million square kilometers [1.9 million square miles], and Russia is 17.5 [million square kilometers]. Any questions?" Juncker said.
The annual EU Ambassadors conference, bringing together heads of 140 EU delegations and missions around the world, as well as senior EU officials, kicked off on Monday and will last until Friday.
In 2014, relations between Russia and the West deteriorated over Moscow's alleged involvement in the Ukraine crisis and Crimea's reunification with Russia. Brussels has since introduced several rounds of anti-Russia sanctions, while Moscow introduced countermeasures, imposing food embargoes on the countries that supported the sanctions.
