"Germany-France Propose EU Summit Initiative to Russian Putin"

Suspension Since Russia's Forced Annexation of Crimea in 2014
Detailed Discussions Needed on EU 27 Member States' Summit Participation and Other Matters

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Germany and France have proposed a summit between the European Union (EU) and Russia, which has been suspended since 2014, according to foreign media reports. If realized, it is expected that the relationship between the EU and Russia, currently at odds over various issues, will rapidly advance.

On the 23rd (local time), major foreign media cited an anonymous senior EU diplomat saying, "Germany and France have proposed a summit between the EU and Russia to the Russian side," adding, "There is a possibility that countries located on the Baltic Sea and Eastern European countries bordering Russia may not agree to the summit."

The proposal for this summit reflects the changed atmosphere between the West and Russia following the summit between U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Geneva, Switzerland, on the 16th, according to major foreign media. Although there had been opinions within the EU about the need for a summit with Russia after the U.S.-Russia summit, it was reported that it had not been actively pursued due to concerns over opposition from Eastern European countries bordering Russia.

The EU-Russia summit has been suspended since Russia's forced annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in 2014. However, since EU countries still heavily depend on energy imports from Russia, and Russia is one of the EU's top five trading partners as its largest investor, prolonged sanctions against Russia are causing significant losses not only to Russia but also to the EU.

If this summit takes place, it is expected to serve as an important foundation for restoring relations between the EU and Russia. However, even if the summit is realized, discussions on detailed matters such as whether President Putin will participate in a summit with all 27 EU member states or hold talks only with EU representatives such as Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, and Charles Michel, President of the European Council, are expected to continue, according to major foreign media.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.