The Belgium PM, who is paying a visit to Russia, is scheduled to meet with Putin later on Wednesday. On Tuesday, Michel held talks with Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev.
During his lecture at Moscow’s National Research University - Higher School of Economics, Michel confirmed that the EU and Russia still have differences on a number of issues. "I’m speaking about Ukraine here, we understand that this is a very sensitive issue," TASS news agency reported.
Michel noted that he discussed sanctions with Medvedev on Tuesday. "I should hash this over with Vladimir Putin today. The EU’s sanctions are not and cannot be a goal in itself, in my opinion."
The Belgian prime minister stressed the importance of holding a broader dialogue between Russia and Europe.
"That’s why I have come to Moscow. We should speak about the situation in Ukraine, it is very sensitive, but we should also talk about security, anti-terror fight, economic cooperation, energy and we should also discuss the role of Russia and Europe in the south of the continent, in Syria, Libya, and the peace process in the Middle East," he said.