The EU imposed the first round of sanctions against Russia more than a year ago due to Russia’s alleged involvement in the Ukrainian crisis. However, Russian and German businessmen’s calls to end the trade war and restore constructive economic relations between the East and West.
Despite the sanctions, German politicians are also trying not to break off dialogue with Moscow, ARD TV channel reported. Recently, speakers of all of the major German parties headed by the chairman of the Bundestag Committee on Economic affairs visited Moscow to discuss energy issues.
Some of the German politicians in Berlin condemned this step, stressing that this was not an "official delegation." It shows that the EU’s anti-Russian front is beginning to fall apart, ARD’s correspondent Oliver Mayer-Rüt said.
The Head of the Committee on Eastern Economic Relations, Eckhard Cordes, also supported the idea that Western sanctions against Russia should be lifted. In an interview with Handelsblatt, he said that "sanctions cannot solve political problems," adding that Europe and Russia are "strategically linked to each other."
Cordes noted that the restriction policy has negatively affected the German economy. In particular, trade turnover between Germany and Russia has been reduced by almost one half in the course of the year.
Earlier this week, Handelsblatt wrote that the EU is planning to extend sanctions against Russia for another six months in December. The decision may be taken at the next formal EU summit scheduled for December 17-18.
