On Saturday 17 February, European Commissioner for Neighbourhood Policy Johannes Hahn said he would like the EU and Russia to study areas of economic cooperation.
"We are not in competition with Russia in the economic area. There are many possible activities in the economic area. They should be examined", he said at a discussion during the security conference in Munich – "In or Out? The Countries In-Between Russia and Europe". "This is possible. It is a question of confidence-building", he added. "The doors are open. It is up to you to use them", he told Konstantin Kosachev, the head of the foreign affairs committee of the Russian Federation Council. He also said that as a soft power the EU was interested in any type of cooperation with all possible partners – and was not trying to extend its territory but to have good relations with its neighbours.
Kosachev meanwhile criticised the image that is spread of Russia and the EU with regard to their policy towards their neighbours. "I do not accept the idea that Russia is upsetting its neighbours and that the EU is white and soft. We are in competition", he said, adding that he did not like this situation. "We need a new Robert Schuman, who united France and Germany, so as to unite Europe. We do not have anyone like this in the European Union's current leaders", he added.
The EU applies many economic sanctions against Russia in connection with the conflict in eastern Ukraine and with Russia's annexation of Crimea. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)