"The European Union, which does not have even a small interest in improvement of spoiled relations with Russia at least due to economic reasons, has degraded down to the size of the US transatlantic appendix with its senseless policy of boycott," Voigt said, as quoted by his press service.
The member of the European Parliament added citing the figures of Germany's statistical agency that despite the sanctions the trade relations between Moscow and Berlin had come back to growth.
"In this context, the extension of the sanctions looks like a shot in own leg. The Europeans should get to their feet and to strengthen the deteriorated relations with Europe taking into consideration their own interests," Voigt added.
In 2014, Germany as well as other EU member states sanctions introduced sanctions against Russia accusing it of alleged interference in the Ukrainian crisis. The sanctions have been prolonged for several times since then. Moscow has denied the allegations and introduced countermeasures against the countries that targeted it with the sanctions.
