The sluggish economy in Europe could lead to a considerable cutdown on its energy demand from Russia and thus a slowdown of Russia's growth, a Russian expert told Xinhua in a recent interview.

The downtown in Europe could cost many business opportunities for Russia, Olga Potemkina, director of the European Integration Division in Russian Academy of Science said.

Russia hopes for a stable eurozone and a brighter future of the European Union (EU)'s economy, as Russia-EU relations play a significant role in its economy, the expert said.

Official figures showed Russia-EU trade stood at 394 billion U.S. dollars in 2011. Over half of Russian trade and three-quarters of foreign investments fall on the EU, while Russia ranks the EU's third largest trade partner and top energy supplier.

The mounting economic crisis in Europe will top the discussions of the 29th Russia-EU summit on June 3-4 in Russia's St. Petersburg, whose importance is bolstered by the attendance of newly sworn-in Russian President Vladimir Putin, Potemkina said.

Russia, at the summit, may offer counter-crisis supports to its European partners and discuss the prospects of the eurozone's future, as well as energy issues, visa problems, a new agreement on strategic partnership and implementation of the roadmaps of four common spaces and the Partnership for Modernization, he added.

Several high ranking officials from the EU had said previously that visa-free travel between Russia and EU countries is a "common goal," but the two sides need necessary conditions in place rather than a detailed timetable.

Some Russian officials earlier said the 2014 Sochi Olympics in Russia could become a threshold for introducing visa-free relations with the EU.

The free-visa commitment is a "touchstone" for EU-Russia mutual trust, Potemkina said, adding the two sides haven't built up their trust toward each other yet.

The EU side may take visa-free as a bargaining chip on energy and investment negotiations with Russia at the summit, he added.

Taking Russia's soon-to-get WTO membership into consideration, Potemkina believed resuming negotiations on the cornerstone agreement defining Russia-EU relations would be of huge importance to both sides.

For all above reasons, Russia will continue to take its relations with the EU as a foreign policy priority under Putin's leadership, the expert concluded.