The negative economic consequences of the anti-Russian sanctions are becoming more evident, especially for Germany, Karlheinz Essig, the head of the company Edelstahl Rosswag, said in an interview with Sputnik Germany.
"The sanctions imposed by the EU against Russia have not reached their political goal. On the contrary, their economic consequences — which are related to Russia's countermeasures — are becoming more and more tangible, especially for the German side," Essig stated.
According to the analyst, the sanctions hamper international cooperation more than ever, and Germany must take decisive steps to end them.
"Germany is the one that has a special responsibility in this matter, which is why it should not aggravate relations with Russia, but build them in a positive manner," Essig said.
German companies have repeatedly protested anti-Russia sanctions and called for their withdrawal. They have stressed that restrictive measures have negative consequences for the German economy and hamper trade relations between the two countries.
The European Union along with the United States imposed sanctions against Russian individuals and the Russian defense, energy and banking sectors in late July 2014, following the escalation of the Ukrainian crisis. Moscow responded by introducing a yearlong food embargo on several imports from the countries that have targeted Russia with restrictions, extending the current embargo several times.
