Relations between Russia and European states are in crisis, and references to the Ukrainian conflict in this context are inappropriate.

Axar.az reports that Russian President Vladimir Putin stated this during a meeting with permanent members of the Security Council.

“It is clear that Russia’s relations with European countries are in crisis, not through our fault, and references to the events in Ukraine lack sufficient grounds, because the Ukrainian crisis itself arose due to the actions of the previous U.S. administration and a number of leading European countries,” he stated.

“I would like to emphasize once again that we have never refused to develop and restore these relations,” he added.