The European Council agreed Thursday that economic sanctions against Russia will remain in place and will be linked to the implementation of the Minsk agreements. The EU reserved the right to take further measures if necessary.
"Meanwhile, the needed joint action between all Europeans, of course including Russia, to respond according to European values to the new global wave of barbarism/terrorism remains unattended," Alfred Sant told Sputnik.
He added that "both sides know they are hurting each other, and deep down, both sides are asking themselves: but what is the point of all this?"
Since the Ukrainian conflict escalated in April 2014, the European Union, the United States and their allies have imposed a number of economic sanctions against Moscow, blaming it for interfering in Ukraine's internal affairs. Moscow has repeatedly denied its involvement in the Ukrainian crisis.
The restrictive measures imposed on Russia target the energy, banking and defense sectors of the country's economy, as well as certain individuals.
In response to Western sanctions, in August 2014 Moscow introduced a ban on the import of a range of food items from the countries that supported the restrictions.
