To that end, Brussels has to learn to negotiate with the real Russia, not the one Europe wants to see. Apart from other things, this means that the EU should learn from the mistakes the bloc made with regard to the conflict in eastern Ukraine and Russia's stance on the issue.
"The EU failed to anticipate Moscow's stance on [the European] neighborhood policy and did not take into account Russia's growing international clout, as well as Russia's understanding of its security interests," the El País said.
In general, the EU needs to "accept Moscow as a great power with which we must work to build a space of shared security" and has to abandon the Cold War mentality, as cited by El País. Both parties could then cooperate to tackle challenges like international terrorism and instability in the Middle East.
The primary key is to secure peace in war-torn Ukraine through the full implementation of the Minsk II agreements. The paper called the deadly conflict "an unacceptable source of instability for the EU."
The other three pillars include a pan-European and global security dialogue, the strengthening of economic and trade partnership, as well as greater ties between societies.
To improve relations with Russia, European countries will also have to gradually lift sanctions imposed on Moscow. This could well be done if the Minsk peace process takes place, the document said, noting that introducing more restrictive measures would only harm everyone.
Spain has lost some 330-360 million euros ($295-322 million) after sanctions were introduced, according to El Pais.
