President Vladimir Putin believes that the level of cooperation between Russia and the EU does not correspond to the potential of the parties. Putin invites the Europeans to create a joint market that would stretch from the Atlantic to the Pacific.
Putin said during a session at the Foreign Ministry that "we could put an ambitious goal with Europe - to build the joint market from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean in the amount of trillions of euros," Interfax reports.
However, Russian business on foreign markets may often come across unreasonable restrictions, so it needs constant support from the diplomatic corps, the president believes.
"We've been talking a lot about the resources of economic diplomacy, but fundamental changes have not been achieved, - Putin reproached the Foreign Ministry. - This is especially noticeable at the time when the world economy is experiences the crisis and when protectionism becomes the norm."
"We must act livelier. One should not be ashamed of promoting the products of the Russian military-industrial complex," he said. According to him, other countries - the U.S., France, Israel - "made this a part of their state policies a long time ago, and they carry it out very aggressively."
Putin also regrets that Ukraine remains outside the Eurasian economic space. "It is unfortunate that the brotherly Ukraine remains outside this process ", he said. According to independent experts, Ukraine's accession to the process, " would of course give extra dynamic to both Ukraine and the whole process." This would of course be a positive factor from the economic and social points of view."