Tensions in Russia and the EU reached a new low following Lavrov’s comments in Moscow

LONDON – A recent press conference between the EU’s top diplomat and Russia’s veteran foreign minister showed that diplomatic ties have fallen to a new low, prompting some analysts to question whether the trip ” humiliating “could lead to more political consequences.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell visited Moscow on Friday to express EU opposition to the arrest of Alexei Navalny, a fierce critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin. However, Borrell did not reject the comments of his Russian counterpart when he was at his side at the press conference. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the EU was an “unreliable partner”.

In addition, Borrell learned via Twitter during his visit that Russia had expelled three EU diplomats for attending demonstrations in support of Navalny.

“My meeting with Minister Lavrov stressed that Europe and Russia are separating. It seems that Russia is gradually disconnecting from Europe,” Borrell said in a blog post two days after the press conference. He described it as “a very complicated visit to Moscow.”

His controversial trip was so poorly received that a group of 73 European lawmakers said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen “should take action if Borrell does not resign on his own.” In a joint letter, they said Borrell did not “defend the interests and values ​​of the European Union during his visit”, which caused “serious damage to the EU’s reputation”.

EU-Russia ties have been fractured for some time, but their ties are critical given their economic, energy and strategic interests.

Jade McGlynn, a researcher in the Henry Jackson Society think tank, described the EU-Russia relationship as “cold-fueled” after Borrell’s trip to Moscow. “The EU does not have an adequate strategy in Russia. It does not make sense to re-establish itself with Russia when Russia does not want it,” he said.

Both sides had sought to improve their trade, energy and anti-terrorism ties, among others, before 2014. In this context, the EU had supported Russia’s accession to the World Trade Organization, which concluded the 2012.

However, the Russian annexation of Crimea in March 2014 was a turning point in their relationship. The EU opposed the move and consequently imposed sanctions on Russian people and businesses.

Their ties were further exhausted by Russia’s intervention in the long-running war in Syria and other conflicts in the Middle East. In addition, several constitutional reforms in Russia have also aroused concern among European officials, including one that allows Putin to stay in power beyond his current term.

“Their relationship has always been a challenge,” Ian Lesser, vice president of The German Marshall Fund in the United States, told CNBC, noting that ties are now only “deteriorating on multiple fronts.”

As a result, Lesser expects “more pressure on the North Stream (project), including Washington DC”

Nord Stream 2 is a gas pipeline running from Russia to Germany and, once completed, would double the flow of energy resources between the two, according to Deutsche Welle.

The bill has been harshly criticized, including by the United States, which has imposed sanctions on companies working on the pipeline, a stance the new U.S. presidency has no intention of changing overnight. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said the Joe Biden administration is against the project.

Some European lawmakers also believe that Nord Stream 2 should be stopped in response to Russia’s Navalny poisoning. Prior to returning to Russia last month, Navalny had recovered in Germany after narrowly surviving what has since been independently confirmed as intoxication by a Novichok nerve agent in August. 20. The Kremlin denies poisoning Navalny.

“I can imagine it’s very disappointing” for the United States to observe Friday’s press conference in Moscow, McGlynn said by phone. He added that the US is probably wondering “do we have a reliable partner who can resist Russia?”