The new German government will gradually begin to lift sanctions slapped on Russia in 2014, since they are harmful first and foremost to the economy of Germany, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia Yanis Yurkans has stated. “When Germany formalizes its government, they will gradually lift sanctions, because sanctions shoot those who accept and support them in the kneecap,” Yurkans told journalists on the sidelines of the 14th meeting of the Valdai International Discussion Club. “EU members, whatever [the EU] is, hope that it will lift sanctions from Russia, because sanctions are a sword with two blades," he concluded.