BERLIN, March 20. /TASS/. Restrictions are particularly harmful amid the current pandemic, Chairman of the German Bundestag Committee on Economic Affairs and Energy Klaus Ernst, who represents the Left Party, told TASS on Friday.

"Definitely, sanctions are particularly harmful in the current situation. After all, we need to boost global cooperation so that every country can effectively combat the coronavirus. Even without the pandemic crisis, sanctions on Russia won’t take us far," he pointed out.

In 2014, the European Union imposed sanctions on Moscow over the situation in Ukraine and Crimea’s reunification with Russia. Talks on waiving visas and negotiations on a new cooperation agreement were suspended. Some Russian officials were barred from entering EU counties, their assets were frozen. Besides, trade, financial and military restrictions were also introduced. In response, Russia banned the import of a number of food products from EU countries.