Ambassador says Russia, EU may restore direct contacts soon

MOSCOW, December 26. /TASS/. Direct contacts between Russia and the E.U. may be restored soon, Russian ambassador to the E.U. Vladimir Chizhov said on Friday. “Over the past few months we have registered a significant increase in such direct contacts, and, though there is little practical stuff followed, we hope that when our partners wake up from Christmas hibernation such contacts will happen,” Chizhov said. “We expect the dialogue to start at all political levels, as we feel that the E.U. is beginning to understand the hopelessness and inefficiency of sanctions against Russia.” He said the sanctions are illegitimate from the point of international legislation, as they are can only be imposed by the UN Security Council. The latest sanctions that the E.U. imposed on Crimea are not only harmful, they are “stupid.” “Let me give you with an example. Refrigerators, air conditioners, dishwashers, vacuum cleaners were banned to be supplied to Crimea. It can only be considered as destruction of well-being of the part of the world, which is seen by the E.U. as part of Ukraine. It looks like they are stupid, besides being harmful,” Chizhov said. Read more