German politician opposes anti-Russian sanctions, blames US

Sahra Wagenknecht, German politician and Vice-President of the Left Party, criticized the policy of German Chancellor Angela Merkel towards Russia and said that European countries let the US push themselves around.
Speaking at a meeting of the German Government, member of the German Bundestag Sahra Wagenknecht criticized German authorities and, particularly, German Chancellor Angela Merkel for its “reckless” policy towards Russia and her support for the extension of anti-Russian sanctions, Sputnik news agency reported.
According to the left-wing politician, the EU followed the lead of the United States, with Merkel pushing European countries to a long-term confrontation with Russia that may lead to "a new Cold War." Wagenknecht argued that such policy is destructive and has a negative impact both on Ukraine and the EU.
“The confrontation with Russia has not only destroyed the Ukraine. It is destructive for Europe as a whole,” Wagenknecht said.
The politician claimed that the EU should pursue a “distinctive and independent policy” and cited a statement of Helmudt Kohl, saying that NATO is an instrument, used by the US to spread its hegemony.
She also expressed her concerns about the ability of the Kiev authorities to resolve the conflict in the country by peaceful means.
“Despite the threat of national bankruptcy […], the Ukrainian government is planning to spend four times more money for new weapons compared with the last year. This does not speak for the fact that the path of peace has particularly dedicated supporters in the Ukrainian government”.
However, Merkel does not seem to be interested in any of the issues. During the meeting, the German Chancellor preferred to have an apparently more amusing conversation with the country’s finance minister Wolfgang Schäuble, rather than pay attention to the fact that people in Ukraine “are starving to death and freezing”.
Last week, the German Chancellor opposed lifting sanctions against Russia, saying they should be abolished only after the first provisions of the Minsk agreements are fulfilled and would be premature and incorrect if done so beforehand.