During a joint press conference with Polish Foreign Minister Zbignev Rau, Maas noted that a shift away from ties with Russia would lead to rapprochement between Moscow and Beijing.

The strategy of confrontation with Russia may not be only incorrect, but also dangerous for regional security, the head of German diplomacy, who is on an official visit to Poland, pointed out.

A French-German initiative for a summit of all 27 members of the European Union (EU) and Russia lacked consensus at a recent top-level meeting of the EU in Brussels, especially due to strong opposition from Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.

For Maas, rapprochement between Russia and China might lead to the creation of a strong economic bloc, according to the local press.

Russia at the time denounced the media campaign unleashed by Western powers to portray it as an alleged threat to Europe, which served to justify the enforcement of unilateral sanctions and increased military spending.

This weekm the EU foreign ministers have approved an extension for another six months of a package of economic restrictions against Russia, which they accuse of breaching the Minsk agreements to seek peace in the Donbass conflict.

Moscow clarified that it is only acting as a mediator in the confrontation in Donbass, and denounces Kiev’s non-compliance with the agreements reached with the rebels in southeastern Ukraine.

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