EU did not give serious consideration to Russia sanctions impact - Moscow envoy
BRUSSELS. Sept 19 (Interfax) - Moscow's Permanent Representative to the European Union, Vladimir Chizhov, believes that there is nothing totally new about the European Parliament's request to formulate criteria that would allow the EU to lift its sanctions against Russia or stop adopting new sanctions.
"Similar calls were voiced in decisions of the Council of Europe and resolutions issued by the Council of Europe. That is why there is nothing completely new about them," Chizhov said, when commenting on the European Parliament's resolution adopted on Thursday.
"The problem with sanctions, apart from their poor efficiency as an instrument, is that every time one introduces sanctions, there is a need to think about what will happen tomorrow and anticipate possible steps in case the situation may deteriorate or, on the contrary, may get better - in other words, a solution strategy," he said.
"I am not sure that the EU has given serious consideration to any of these options," Chizhov said.