"According to the statements of [US Vice President] Biden, there are five [EU member states, expressing disapproval of sanctions]. But many more EU members told us about their criticism of the sanctions on the margins. It is easier to list the small group of those who opt for prolongation of sanctions," Meshkov told reporters.
On Thursday, US Vice President Joe Biden in his speech at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) warned Ukraine of the fact that at least five European states were willing to lift the anti-Russia sanctions.
Relations between Russia and European Union started to deteriorate in 2014, when Moscow was groundlessly accused of triggering Ukrainian conflict and annexation of Crimea. Moscow refuted the allegations, however, the West imposed on Russia several rounds of restrictive sanctions mostly targeting key sectors of the Russian economy.
According to the latest survey by the Russian-German Chamber of Commerce (AHK), conducted in Berlin, 60 percent of the German companies working in Russia voted for lifting the counterproductive anti-Russia sanctions.