MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Fischer arrived on an official two-day visit to Moscow on Tuesday at Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invitation.
"I always, anywhere, frankly tell that the sanctions are something that is disadvantageous for both parties," the Austrian leader said at a meeting with Sergei Naryshkin, the speaker of Russia's lower house of parliament.
He added that at the same time Austria remains a "loyal member of the European Union."
"Our position in these [EU] discussions [on anti-Russia sanctions] includes that it is necessary to consider all the possibilities of relationship development between Russia and the European Union. The most important part is that it is necessary to find such a path, a common way for all of us, to develop it, which would result in the soon removal of most of the sanctions,” Fisher pointed out.
The Russian authorities have refuted the allegations, warning that the Western sanctions are counterproductive. In response to the Western restrictive measures, in August 2014, Russia announced a one-year food embargo on some products originating in states that imposed sanctions against it. The ban has since been extended for another year.
