Premier of Slovakia Peter Pellegrini called EU sanctions against Russia senseless.

"Slovakia has long stressed that sanctions did not bring any positive effect," he said during a speech at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

According to him, the political and economic relations between Moscow and Brussels only deteriorated.

"Some companies have lost their markets because they are not in a position to trade more with Russia," he added.

He noted that sanctions only bring harm.

"We consider it appropriate to revisit this question once again, whether we can restore a constructive dialogue instead of continuing meaningless sanctions that harm the economy of our countries and the Russian economy," he concluded. Earlier, with the criticism of anti-Russian sanctions, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte made a speech.

In his opinion, their extension should not be automatic. He also recalled that restrictive measures are a means, not a goal.

Introduction of sanctions

Relations between Russia and the West deteriorated due to the situation in Ukraine and around the Crimea.