ROME, April 9. /TASS/. EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell believes that Russia and China exploit the sanitary crisis, caused by the coronavirus, and provide aid to other countries in a bid to increase their geopolitical role in the world. He expressed this stance in an interview for la Repubblica daily that came out Thursday.

"It is obvious that China and Russia seek to increase their influence on a global scale. It is logical that they use the sanitary crisis to that extent, too, applying all their capabilities. This strategy is based on demonstration that certain political systems are more effective than ours [European] in fighting the pandemic," Borrell stated.

According to Borrell, "major powers, such as China and Russia, use the media to pump up the effect of their aid, increasing their geopolitical role in the world, by forming public opinion, among other things."

The High Representative recalled that the EU had also provided aid — first, to China, and later, to Italy — which included dispatch of EU-funded medical mission to Italy’s Lombardy.

"Europe is there, but we must establish better communication with the governments," the diplomat commented.

Earlier, Russian Ambassador in Italy Sergei Razov told TASS that there are no geopolitical scheming behind Russian aid to Italy and recalled that there are also noble causes, such as solidarity, mutual assistance and support.