European Politicians Urge to Lift Anti-Russian Sanctions in Open Letter

The letter was signed by 12 European politicians, including from France, Germany and Italy.

"In October 2014, a few months after EU sanctions had been decreed against Russia, we already thought that missing the Russian partner was a mistake both on the political (on the Syrian conflict) and the economical level (for our agriculture), and we would pay it dearly," the letter read.

The authors of the document reminded that in 2014 the EU imposed personal sanctions against Alexander Bortnikov, head of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB), and Mikhail Fradkov, head of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service.

"Let us recall that the United States has also imposed sanctions, mainly economic ones, to Russia, but that they never went as far as jeopardizing their security cooperation with the heads of the intelligence service. So, why are we putting so much efforts in this, at the expense of our own security?" they wrote.

Despite the fact that intelligence cooperation between Russia and European countries continued, the removal of sanctions would help resume necessary cooperation and dialogue.

"Russia, thanks its positions in Syria, has access to valuable information on ISIS [Daesh]. Then, we must learn to act responsibly, in a concrete way and be done with ideals that do not satisfy anyone. This realpolitik is no longer a choice, it is a duty imposed by the world around us," the letter read.

Brussels should "go beyond the desire to punish" in order to pursue more important goals and interest, the authors added.

According to them, now there is a growing number of European politicians calling to revise or even lift the sanctions.

"History will prove right those who find the political courage to make such a statement," the letter read.

After the 2014 referendum on Crimea’s reunification with Russia, the US and the EU imposed several rounds of anti-Russian sanctions, including economic and personal restrictions. In August 2014, Moscow responded with a food imports embargo.

The West has insisted that sanctions will be removed if the Minsk agreements on the Ukrainian crisis are fully implemented. In turn, Moscow has repeatedly said that Russia is not involved in the Donbass conflict.

Last week, the French Senate unanimously adopted a resolution fpr the easing of anti-Russian sanctions.

The resolution proposed by the opposition calls on the French government to protest the extension of EU sanctions against Moscow. Although the resolution is not legally binding, the document will be sent to the French government for consideration.

Earlier, the French National Assembly, the lower house of the parliament, voted in favor of the resolution calling for lifting of anti-Russian sanctions.

The EU leaders summit is scheduled for June 28-29. Extending the EU economic sanctions against Russia, which are due to expire in July, is likely to be on the summit's agenda.