Leaders of five German states demand weakening of sanctions against Russia
The government leaders of five German states believe that sanctions against Russia are ineffective and are causing damage to German companies, Deutsche Welle reports.
A meeting was held in Berlin between the heads of government of the five states formed from the territory of the former German Democratic Republic (East Germany).
Reiner Haseloff, Minister President of the state of Saxony-Anhalt and a member of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian-Democratic Union Party, said after the meeting that restrictive measures do not work and that a new approach should be worked out. According to Haseloff, the sanctions do not significantly affect important Russian export goods such as oil and gas or the export of cars from Germany to Russia, but they do painfully hit German agricultural product exports.
Particular harm has been caused to East German companies, which have close ties with Russian partners. The Minister President of the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern government, Manuela Schwesig, who is affiliated with the Social Democratic Party, is also in support of easing sanctions.
Haseloff noted that Russia has unequivocally violated the norms of international law in Ukraine, but the only prospect of resolving the crisis is through cooperation.
The Minister Presidents of the former East German Republics are planning to discuss the matter of mitigating sanctions against Russia with the future federal government of Germany.
As reported earlier today, participants in the coalition talks in Germany have reached a compromise regarding refugees.