Russia can build relations with the EU without recognizing Crimea, Moscow says
Recognition of Crimea as part of Russia by Syria and several Italian provinces will not affect the position of the European Union. The Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the EU, Vladimir Chizhov, announced this today at a press conference in Moscow.
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“No matter how pleased we are to hear about the decision of Syria or individual Italian provinces, this did not have a decisive influence on the official position of Italy and the EU as a whole. The question of recognizing the fact of the reunification of Crimea with Russia today is not raised in the European Union,” Chizhov said.
In his opinion, this is not an insurmountable obstacle to the development of relations.
“Let's remember that from 1945 to 1991 the West did not recognize that the three Baltic republics had become part of the USSR. Well, Western leaders did not go there, but this did not affect the political and economic relations of Western countries with the Soviet Union,” Chizhov said.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Syrian Parliament, Hadiya Abbas, said in an interview with Sputnik that the Syrian leadership recognizes Crimea as an integral part of Russia. This year, the regional parliaments of five Italian regions (Veneto, Liguria, Lombardy, Tuscany, Emilia-Romagna) called on the country's authorities to recognize Crimea and lift sanctions against Russia.
Russia can build relations with the EU without recognizing Crimea, Moscow says.