Sanctions Against Russia Over Navalny Would Be Detrimental To EU Itself - German Lawmaker

The European Union would hurt itself if it were to impose sanctions against Russia over the situation with opposition figure Alexey Navalny, who is being treated in Berlin, Klaus Ernst, the head of the Bundestag's energy and economy committee, told Sputnik

BERLIN (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 15th September, 2020) The European Union would hurt itself if it were to impose sanctions against Russia over the situation with opposition figure Alexey Navalny, who is being treated in Berlin, Klaus Ernst, the head of the Bundestag's energy and economy committee, told Sputnik.

"If you look at the sanctions the EU has had against Russia for the last six years, in general, the study of the Kiel Institute for the World Economy and Lingnan University in Hong Kong showed that Russia is carrying only 56 percent of the trade losses due to these sanctions.

The rest of the losses, which has amounted to $42 billion between March, 2014, and the end of 2015, was almost entirely suffered by the EU. So we, Europe, are hurt by the sanctions almost as much as Russia," Ernst, who belongs to The Left party, said.

The researchers have called this effect a "friendly fire," the lawmaker said.

"This is not in the interest of Germany or Europe. This is why I think that despite the serious problem with Navalny that must be solved in any case new sanctions against Russia should not be on the agenda," the lawmaker said.