Joseph Borrell

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February 27, 2021 Russia sees democratic values ​​as an "existential threat" and therefore does not want to engage in dialogue with the EU: these are the words of the head of EU foreign policy, Josep Borrell, in a speech to the Atlantic Council dating back to February 23.

The text was published today in an excerpt on Twitter by the former Spanish foreign minister who, moreover, points out that Russia is "disconnecting from the EU" and Putin is "using all means, including a lot of disinformation, to secure survival and fight the opposition ".

Borrell relaunches the video intervention in which he takes stock of bilateral relations after the experience he had during his recent visit to Moscow.



"I went to Russia with two goals: first to raise concern about the Navalny case and the crackdown on demonstrators and, second, to explore the possibility of a positive agenda with Russia but their aggressive reaction shows that they see the democratic values ​​as an existential threat ", he said, reconstructing his unfortunate visit to Moscow, at the center of which there was also a disastrous meeting with the foreign minister, Lavrov.



"This experience shows that Russia does not want to engage with the European Union because for them what we stand for, that is liberal values ​​and democracy, are truly perceived as an existential threat, something they cannot live with and in the face of that 'The EU and the Member States need unity and determination ", he added.



"Russia is on a path of confrontation and in the face of this confrontation we need to do three things: reject Russia when it violates international law and human rights, contain Russia when pressure increases on us, even with disinformation and cyberattacks and, finally, despite everything, engaging in selected sectors when it is in our interest to do so ", added Borrell, citing in this regard" Iran, climate change and energy supply ".



On the latter point, in a probable reference to the differences between Member States on the doubling of the Nord Stream gas pipeline, Borrell hoped that the issue would be "discussed" in March, at the next European Council.