MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Marciniak added that the current state of the relations between Russia and EU countries was influenced by a number of factors, including sanctions, Moscow's countermeasures, decrease of consumer's demand in Russia.
"This idea [of gradually lifting sanctions] is not very realistic," Marciniak told RIA Novosti.
According to Marciniak, the combination of these factors meant that full restoration of the relationship with EU was unlikely and would require enormous effort.
The EU anti-Russian sanctions have been in place since 2014, when relations soured amid the crisis in Ukraine. Brussels, as well as Washington and their allies have introduced several rounds of individual and economic sanctions over Crimea's rejoining with Russia and over Moscow's alleged involvement in the conflict between the pro-independence eastern Ukrainian militias and Kiev.
Russia has repeatedly refuted the allegations, warning that the Western sanctions are counterproductive and undermine global stability.
