Madrid. According to the EU's new High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Commission Vice-President Josep Borrell, "there are many issues linked to defense and security, which Europeans should be able to counter themselves", TASS reports.

The stance of the European Union member states on Russia differs, the foreign affairs chief said in an interview with El Pais newspaper published on Sunday. In comment on what position on Russia he would like to see, the new EU foreign policy chief said: "This is a very controversial issue." According to him, while some countries are unwilling to normalize ties with Russia, others are eager to do this. "Sanctions [against Russia] are in place, but they are not the policy itself," Borrell said. "And I could say the same about Venezuela."

According to the new head of European diplomacy, "there are many issues linked to defense and security, which Europeans should be able to counter themselves." "Probably, thanks to [US President Donald] Trump, [Russian President Vladimir] Putin, [Turkish President Recep Tayyip] Erdogan and other leaders Europeans will be forced to react," he noted.

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