+ -

Permanent Mission of the Russian Federation to the European Union

Submitted on 2017-05-23 09:45:12

Comment on recent statements by President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker

---

Fragment of the briefing by Foreign Ministry Spokseperson Maria Zakharova, 18 May 2017

We have noted statements by President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker during his visit to Romania. In the context of the anti-Russian rhetoric that has become so common and is based on a pattern of Russophobic clichés, the statements by Mr Juncker turned out to be level-headed and quite constructive.

In his interview with the newspaper Adevarul (“Truth”), the president said that relations between the European Union and Russia must be restored and it is possible. “Even if our relations are currently overshadowed by problems and a lack of trust, it does not mean they are ruined.” As Jean-Claude Juncker noted, despite disagreements, the communication channels must stay open. His address to a Romanian audience at the National Museum of Art had a similar tone. 

Unfortunately, the statement was not widely publicised. The media stayed “eloquently silent” as we like to say in such cases.

We hope that this constructive and positive attitude will prevail in our relations and will help everybody abandon the Russophobic claims that we have to address too often.