German Government Unlikely to Remove Anti-Russia Sanctions

The German government does not intend to lift sanctions against Russia, Chief of Staff of the German Chancellery Peter Altmaier said.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Altmaier's comments came after German Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel said on Friday that Russia's role in the Syrian conflict settlement was important and called for removal of sanctions against Moscow imposed by the West in 2014 over Russia’s alleged involvement in the Ukrainian conflict.

"That does not mean that we must change our position on Ukraine's issue. We will not succumb to blackmail," Altmaier told the German newspaper Der Tagesspiegel in an interview published Saturday, saying that the role of Russian President Vladimir Putin is important for finding a solution to the Syrian crisis.

Russia has repeatedly stressed that the sanctions are counterproductive and hurt both the target country and those using the measure.

Moscow has expressed its readiness to resume cooperative dialogue with Western partners, jointly addressing a number of urgent global issues, including counter-terrorism and a resolution to the ongoing Syrian civil war.