Brussels, 04/12/2014 (Agence Europe) - “Yes Russia is a strategic problem”, said European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker on Thursday 4 December, reflecting the comment of European Council President Donald Tusk in the context of the Ukrainian crisis.
“I hope tomorrow Russia will be again a strategic partner. And everything the Commission can do in that respect will be done”, he said after a meeting with Bulgaria's Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, which focused in particular on the thorny issue of the Russian South Stream gas pipeline project (see other article). “We will take all the necessary steps to make sure that our relations with Russia will be improved, but it doesn't depend only on the willingness of the EU. To dance tango, you need two dancers”, Juncker added.
Bulgaria greatly affected by sanctions. “We already support the sanctions, and we hope that in the near future they will continue to be implemented. The Russian side should take into account the requirement of the EU, and I hope the relations will be normalised soon”, said Borisov. “So we support the sanctions despite the damage they have done to Bulgarian tourism, to Bulgarian trade. I don't how Russia is affected by the sanctions but we are affected severely”, he added. (EH)