Russia, EU ‘must build fair dialogue’

ATHENS: Russia and the EU need to build a “an equal and fair dialogue” as partners to overcome their differences, President Vladimir Putin said in an article published in a Greek newspaper yesterday on the eve of a visit to the country.

Western financial sanctions were imposed on Moscow in 2014 over its role in the Ukraine conflict, where it annexed Crimea. Russia has imposed counter-sanctions against the West, including a ban on agricultural produce.

Putin will be in Athens today. Tomorrow he will visit Greece’s monastic community at Mount Athos.

Greece, along with Cyprus, are among EU member states with close relations to Moscow. They are lukewarm towards sanctions on Russia, but comply.

“Russia’s starting point is the need to build an equal and fair dialogue of partners with the EU on a wide range of issues – from simplifying visa processes to building energy alliances,” he wrote in Greece’s Kathimerini newspaper.

While the EU did not appear to feel the same way, Putin said, “there is no problem which cannot be solved”.

“To return to this multi-faceted relationship of partners we must reject the flawed logic that one party has the upper hand. Each side must take into account the views and the concerns of the other,” he wrote.

Singling out energy and transport, Putin said Moscow wanted to deepen its co-operation with Greece.

Russia has been the main gas supplier for Greece and Putin said his country has always counted on its deep ties with Athens to push ahead with its plans to boost its gas supplies to Europe.

“The issue of our energy resources being carried through southern corridors to the countries of the European Union is still on the agenda,” Putin said.