Francisco Andres said Russia was "a strategic partner," but "in the current situation, Spain’s room for leeway cannot go beyond what the European level of consensus governs."
"Both Russia and Europe need each other in certain areas and for this we must be ambitious enough to look at the political relationship a little further," Andres said.
Relations between Russia and the European Union went downhill in 2014, when Brussels joined Washington in accusing Moscow of fuelling the Ukrainian crisis, imposing several rounds of sanctions as a punitive measure.
The Russian authorities have refuted the allegations, warning that the Western sanctions are counterproductive. In response to the Western restrictive measures, Russia announced a one-year food embargo on products originating in states that imposed sanctions, in August 2014. The ban has since been extended for another year.
