OREANDA-NEWS  Russia views the European Union as an unfriendly association, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in an interview with the Argumenty i Fakty newspaper.

"The European Union has "lost" Russia. But it's his own fault. After all, it is the EU member states and the leaders of the Union itself that openly declare the need to inflict, as they put it, a strategic defeat on Russia. For these reasons, we consider the EU as an unfriendly association," Lavrov said.

Among other reasons, he also pointed to the pumping of the Kiev regime with ammunition and weapons, as well as sending instructors and mercenaries to Ukraine. According to him, Moscow has drawn the necessary conclusions, therefore it intends to act "if necessary harshly", but relying on national interests and principles of reciprocity. According to him, Moscow has drawn the necessary conclusions, therefore it intends to act "if necessary harshly", but relying on national interests and principles of reciprocity.