"One cannot speak about total freezing up of ties [between the two countries]. Economic relations have been retained and cultural events are held… In 2015, joint cultural events will be held regardless of the fact that the Polish side has refused to hold the cultural cross-year," Andreyev told RIA Novosti in an interview.
The Russian side did not stall relations, Andreyev asserted. Russia is observing, analyzing the situation and trying to understand the reasons why contact has been stalled, he added.
"Working relations have been retained. However, we do not have contact on the highest level," Andreyev concluded.
Relations between Russia and the West significantly deteriorated in 2014 over the Ukrainian crisis. The United States, the European Union and their allies did not recognize Crimea's reunification with Russia, and later accused the Kremlin of interfering in the internal conflict in Ukraine. Russia has repeatedly denied the accusations and has repeatedly urged parties involved in the Ukrainian conflict to establish direct dialogue.
