- Sputnik International
World
Get the latest news from around the world, live coverage, off-beat stories, features and analysis.

Russia May Join EU in Future - Czech President

© Sputnik / Vladimir Sergeev / Go to the mediabankFlags of Russia, EU, France and coat of arms of Nice on the city's promenade
Flags of Russia, EU, France and coat of arms of Nice on the city's promenade - Sputnik International
Subscribe
Russia may join the European Union within the next twenty years, Czech President Milos Zeman said in an interview Tuesday.

Russian flag and EU flag. Nice - Sputnik International
EU May Lift Anti-Russia Sanctions by End of 2015 - Czech President
“Russia could join the EU, because our economies complement each other… Russia needs modern technology, while the EU  needs energy resources,” Milos Zeman in an interview carried by Tuesday’s issue of the Moscow-based Kommersant newspaper.

Speaking about the political situation in Russia, the Czech leader said that the country was “essentially a democracy.”

“First, you have free elections. Second, you have political parties. There is opposition, not big, but it’s their problem, their responsibility… Besides, democracy is also about decentralization and regional self-rule. Even more important is to have a power distribution system where regions enjoy maximum freedom of hand – this I believe is what democracy is really all about,” Milos Zeman emphasized.

The Czech leader attended the Victory Day Parade in Moscow on May 9, commemorating the 70th anniversary of victory over the Nazi Germany in World War II.

Russia's relations with Europe deteriorated dramatically in 2014 over Ukraine crisis. The European Union, the United States and their allies imposed several rounds of economic sanctions against Russia, citing country's alleged role in the ongoing Ukrainian armed conflict.

Western sanctions against Moscow are set to expire in July. In March, EU leaders decided to keep the sanctions in place until a February ceasefire in Ukraine is fully implemented.

Moscow has repeatedly denied any involvement in the Ukrainian internal conflict and expressed readiness to resume dialogue and cooperation with European partners on terms of mutual respect.

Newsfeed
0
To participate in the discussion
log in or register
loader
Chats
Заголовок открываемого материала