The chairman of the Bundestag's Committee on Foreign Affairs, Norbert Röttgen, speaking with the German newspaper today, reiterated the readiness to introduce new economic sanctions against Russia due to the situation in Syria.
Röttgen, expressing the opinion of deputies of the lower house of parliament, stressed that Russia must bear its share of responsibility for "the serious war crimes" in Syria. "The lack of consequences and sanctions would be a scandal," TASS cited the head of the committee as saying.
In addition, Röttgen harshly criticized other European governments, "which do not want to call a spade a spade" and do not take the necessary measures against the Russian Federation.
At the same time, the German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier stands against new sanctions, recognizing the impact of this instrument on the Russian foreign policy ineffective.
Special Representative of the Federal Government for the OSCE Chairmanship and Coordinator for Intersocietal Cooperation with Russia, Central Asia and the Eastern Partnership, Gernot Erler, also shares this opinion: "I should say that the policy of sanctions in the form in has been used in the Ukrainian conflict does not encourage to use it again."
The European Union considers the strengthening of business relations with Russia a major consolidating factor, which is essential for Europe. The member of the group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament, member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Arne Lietz, notes that the establishment of economic cooperation "is able to unite Europe. The economic cooperation with Russia is important to many EU countries. On the whole, today a business can be the basis to restore relations between the EU and Russia," Izvestia cited him as saying.
In this regard, it should be noted that German entrepreneurs hope for a speedy abolition of existing sanctions.
