Valery Kuzmin: I discovered Europe is not a trustful trade partner of Russia; EU sanctions strengthen us

Europe was considered a trustful partner of the Russian Federation, but after sanctions imposed by the EU this changes, Russian Ambassador Valery Kuzmin stated on Monday.

The diplomat on Monday visited Cluj, on which occasion he told the media that the sanctions imposed on his country by the EU are "illegal" and do nothing else by "strengthen" the Russian Federation.

"These sanctions strengthen (EU's sanctions - editor's note) us. We used to believe that in Europe, a very old trade partner of us, we will always find the goods that we need. And, in our turn, we provide Europe those goods that it needs. Now we've discovered that Europe is not a trustful partner, while Russia is a trustful partner, and at any rate it provides those goods for which it has contracts signed. So that part of those goods that we used to get from Europe we are now producing ourselves or getting from others," said Kuzmin.

The Russian Ambassador visited the Maramures, Salaj and Cluj counties in the past couple of days, saying that Cluj is the informal capital of Transylvania. The purpose of his visit was to develop cultural and economic connections.

Kuzmin also spoke about his visit, in Simleu Silvaniei, to a sparkling wine factory, whose products could be bought on the Russian market in the past.

"In the past, the sparkling wines could be found on the Russian market, but now, after the crisis, this production revives. I saw that the sanctions that existed between Russia and the EU, unfortunately, illegal from out point of view, will no longer cover alcohol, which means that the sparkling wines could be sold again in Russia, at a good price. Which means that there are no such political impediments preventing the products from being sold in Russia," said the Ambassador.

He also mentioned that, in response to EU's actions, Russia introduced an embargo on agricultural products.

"But this embargo has nothing to do with alcoholic drinks, including here the sparkling wines. So this is possible. The question is how we establish this contact. We have the economic section of the Embassy and then we must have a direct contact," said the Russian Federation Ambassador.

Moreover, in Simleu Silvaniei, Valery Kuzmin also visited a furniture factory, which is known as a producer of good quality furniture on the Russian market, and in Baia Mare he had a meeting at the City Hall where he discussed about the possibility of including Russian companies in the economic development of this region.

"Such collaboration must be mutually advantageous and it must observe the law, including in what concerns environmental protection. (...) First of all, our visit was for making contact and evaluating the possibilities," explained Kuzim.

The Russian Ambassador on Monday had a meeting with the leadership of the "Babes-Bolyai" University of Cluj-Napoca and visited the Russian Cultural Centre.

The European Union imposed travel bans on 164 persons and blocked the goods of 44 entities for actions undermining territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine.

Moreover, the EU imposed economic sanctions on Russia, in the financial, energy and defence sectors, at the same time blocking access of banks to the EU markets and limiting some imports in the community block. Among the measures there was also a ban on weapons trade.

The EU foreign affairs ministers on Monday agreed to impose new sanctions on some Russian citizens related to the crisis in Ukraine, according to the head of the European diplomacy, Federica Mogherini, who made the announcement after the meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels, according to dpa. AGERPRES (RO - author: Elena Stanciu, editor: Antonia Nita; EN - author: Cristina Zaharia, editor: Adina Panaitescu)