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On 13 November at the EU foreign ministers’ informal discussion in Brussels, Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Audronius Ažubalis said that the EU–Russia cooperation would be successful only if both sides would make effort. Moreover, this partnership should not fear to principally raise the issues of human rights, the rule of law and democracy.

At the ministerial dinner prior to the EU’s Foreign Affairs Council meeting, A.Ažubalis stressed the need of a principled joint EU position with regards to Russia bearing in mind that the EU’s key partners in the East were Eastern partnership countries.
 
According to the Minister, the nature of the Russia–EU partnership, among other things, will be determined by the relationship with our common neighbours. “If Russia dedicated as much time and energy to its internal democratisation and modernisation, as it does to the strengthening of its power and to the creation of the Eurasian Union, this partnership could be closer,” said A.Ažubalis.

According to him, the invitation of the observers of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) to monitor the parliamentary elections in Russia is a good sign, but international observers should be allowed to complete their mission unhindered.

According to the Minister, Russia’s joining the World Trade Organization is a long-awaited step, but the true value of the membership will be revealed only when Russia will comply with its commitments and will assume wider commitments with regard to trade and energy when negotiating for the new Partnership and Cooperation Agreement with the European Union

The European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton proposed to organise an informal discussion on relations with Russia during the ministerial meeting in Luxembourg on 10 October, when several ministers, including A.Ažubalis, called on sticking to uniform standards in developing relations with the EU’s Eastern partnership countries and Russia.