(VOVworld) – EU countries are trying to improve their relations with Russia which have been damaged by the Ukraine crisis. Their attitude is reflected in the 5 principles of relations with Russia adopted at the EU foreign ministers’ meeting in Brussels on March 14.

A view of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Moscow's Smolenskaya-Sennaya Square from Novoarbatsky Bridge. (Maksim Blinov/ Sputnik)

The EU foreign ministers’ meeting reviewed the EU’s tense relations with Russia over the past 2 years because of the Ukraine crisis. They agreed on 5 principles to guide relations with Russia, including a full implementation of the Minsk ceasefire agreement in eastern Ukraine as a condition for any changes in EU policy toward Russia. Other principles regulate EU-Russia cooperation on international issues like Iran, Syria, the Middle East, the migrant crisis, terrorism, and climate change.

Many opinions were offered to foster better relations with Russia. British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said the EU needs to be clear about how it manages its relations with Russia in the future, but must defend its principles and values.

EU Foreign Affairs Head Federica Mogherini and Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius said it was time for a sober look at the relationship.

Last November, President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Junker advocated resuming economic relations with Russia. He wrote a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin expressing his support for closer economic ties between the EU and the Eurasian Economic Union led by Russia.

 The EU-Russia relationship has been tense since Russia annexed Crimea in March, 2014. The EU has imposed asset freezes and travel bans on Russian individuals and organizations thought to be involved in the Ukrainian crisis. On December 21, 2015, the extended sanctions on Russia for another 6 months. Moscow has imposed sanctions of its own in response to the EU sanctions.