The European Union hopes to restart key talks with Russia although business with Moscow will not be as usual, EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said on Monday.
Solana, asked upon his arrival at a meeting of foreign ministers from the 27-member bloc if the EU will resume talks with Russia, said: "I think there will be a possibility, and I hope very much that will be the case."
"To have a relationship with Russia which has a framework is better for the interests of the European Union than to have relationship outside the framework," he said.
However, he said "that doesn't mean we are going to have business as usual. It will not be as usual."
In September, the EU decided to delay negotiations with Russia on a new Cooperation and Partnership Agreement unless Moscow withdraw its troops from buffer zones around Georgia's breakaway regions.