23 June 2017, 02:42 GMT
VIENNA (Sputnik) – Earlier in the day the European Union officially extended its anti-Russia economic sanctions for six months.
"The sanctions did not reach the aims for which they were intended, they did not change Russia’s foreign policy and had no influence on the situation with the Ukrainian crisis," Andrey Kelin told reporters.
The bloc introduced economic sanctions on Moscow in 2014 after Crimea's reunification with Russia. Among the key restrictions are a ban on long-term loans to major Russian banks, energy and defense companies, and curbs on exports of equipment and technology for offshore and shale oil production to Russia. Special restrictions, including a ban on investment, target Crimea and Sevastopol.
