EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini says the European Union will not change its policy towards Russia even if the United States were to alter its position under the administration of incoming president Donald Trump.
She said the EU has "a very principled position on the annexation of Crimea and the situation in Ukraine" that was not going to change "regardless of possible shifts in others' policies."
Mogherini made her comments after a special EU foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels on November 13 to discuss the results of the U.S. presidential election.
Trump's praise of Russian President Vladimir Putin has raised concerns that he may soften U.S. policy toward Moscow and perhaps ease economic sanctions against Russia. The EU has also imposed economic sanctions against Russia over its involvement in Ukraine.
Mogherini added that Brussels continues to have "effective dialogue" with Russia on many international issues, including the Iranian nuclear deal.
She said the nuclear deal --- which was signed last year -- is a multilateral agreement endorsed by a UN Security Council resolution and that it is in the interest of Europe and the UN to guarantee that the deal is "implemented in full."
Trump said during the presidential campaign that it was a "terrible" deal that only benefitted Iran and that he would "tear it up" if he were elected president.
Mogherini said British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson did not attend the foreign ministers' meeting for political reasons. French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault was also absent.
