MOSCOW, March 25 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin vowed to develop the strategic partnership with the European Union (EU) in an article published on Sunday, which marks the 50th anniversary of the EU.

    The development of Russian-EU relations "has logically led us to the need for a Treaty on Strategic Partnership to replace the 10 year-old Agreement that will soon expire," Putin said in the article entitled "50 Years of European Integration and Russia."

    He foresees that the new treaty would "ensure a higher level of economic integration and interaction and provide for freedom and security on the European continent."

    Describing the European integration as "an objective process, representing an integral part of the emerging multi-polar world order," the Russian president acknowledged that Russia "has no intention of either joining the EU or establishing any form of institutional association with it" in the foreseeable future.

    He hailed the fruits yielded in Russian-EU cooperation, adding that bilateral trade and investment between the two sides were growing and cultural, humanitarian and educational contacts were widening as well.

    However, he said that there were still differences between the interests of Russia and the EU. He called on the EU to reject politicizing their economic ties and "not to superimpose Cold War ideological labels" on Russian's actions aimed at defending national interests.

    He also appealed to the two sides to allow no new dividing lines in the continent nor "unilateral projects to be implemented to the detriment of the interests and security of our neighbors."

    Putin underlined the importance of solving such issues as an anti-missile defense in Europe, the stability of Afghanistan, international terrorism, the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, drug trafficking, illegal immigration and global poverty.

    The 27-member European Union today now has a total population of 493 million people. With a common internal market, it is the world's largest economic entity. Its single currency, the euro, issued by 13 member nations.

    Russia is now the EU's main energy supplier and bilateral trade between the two sides continues to soar.