EU flags near the headquarters of the European Parliament in Brussels. File photoBRUSSELS, Apr 4 Despite the sanctions against Russia, the EU considers it important to maintain channels of communication with the Russian Federation as long as possible to resolve Ukraine, Peter Stano, spokesman for the European Union's non-political service, said at a briefing in Brussels. Sanctions and isolation do not mean a cessation of communication. For us, dialogue is always a priority. We always try to keep communication channels open as long as possible,» he said. Stano also added that «communications go through different channels.» The EU representative explained that EU institutions do not have the authority to advise the leaders of member countries whether they should conduct a dialogue with the Russian president. «The leaders themselves decide with whom they negotiate,» the EU spokesman said. MFA
