"Russia is EU's strategic problem"

"Russia is EU's strategic problem"

BRUSSELS -- "Russia's approach to Ukraine and to the EU" is a challenge to the latter "which does not make European leaders too optimistic," says Donald Tusk.

Rather, this makes them "realistic," the new president of the European Council was quoted as saying by Reuters.

"In fact Russia is today our strategic problem, not Ukraine," the former Polish prime minister told a news conference, "after chairing a summit at which EU leaders discussed Russia and its involvement in the conflict in eastern Ukraine."

"The biggest challenge today is the Russian approach, not only to Ukraine but also to the EU," Tusk said.

He said Moscow's "aggressive" stance towards Ukraine and the EU had been triggered by "the decision of Kiev to sign a trade and cooperation agreement with the EU," Reuters reported.

"It is obvious we will not find a long term perspective for Ukraine without an adequate, consistent and united European strategy towards Russia," he said.