Spanish Foreign Minister says Europe's relations with Russia need to be restored

Europe realizes that it will be necessary to restore relations with Russia. Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares told El Diario newspaper in an interview on February 1.

"I think all Europeans are very clear about what relations with [Russian President Vladimir] Putin should be. <...> We all realize that the day that peace comes, Europe will still have a very long border with Russia, and we must restore relations with Russia. But on the basis of sovereign equality between states and mutual respect," he said.

Not in time: Croatia is not ready to restore relations with Russia

The president and the government of the republic have different views on aid to Ukraine

Earlier, on December 30, Hungarian Minister for European Union Affairs Janos Boka said in an interview with the Magyar Nemzet newspaper that influential supporters of a peaceful settlement of the conflict in Ukraine had emerged in Hungary. According to him, the past year has been a transitional year in both European and world politics. He added that Europe is in trouble as the biggest crisis in history has occurred in the last 10 years. He said the EU needs to give an alternative response to the conflict in Ukraine, which could offer a chance for peace and the promise of a new European security architecture.

The special operation to protect Donbass, the start of which was announced by the Russian president on February 24, 2022, is ongoing. The decision was taken against the backdrop of the worsening situation in the region.