A Reuters poll showed over half want the sanctions either eased or lifted entirely

According to a study, the majority of Germans wish to have the EU sanctions imposed on Russia since 2014, as a result of the Ukraine crisis, to be lifted or at least eased. However, US President Obama and Chancellor Merkel want to maintain the sanctions.

According to a poll conducted by Reuters for the magazine Internationale Politik, 35% voted for a complete lifting and 36% for an easing of sanctions.

Sanktionen oder keine Sanktionen, das ist hier die Frage

Supporters of left-wing parties in particular and the AfD (Alternative für Deutschland — Alternative for Germany) plead for a partial lifting of sanctions, as do generally supporters of the Union, SPD (Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands — Social Democratic Party of Germany), and the Greens. Only 18% want to maintain sanctions unchanged. Pollsters from Forsa (German Institute for Social Research and Statistical Analysis) interviewed on April 11-12 around 1,00 eligible voters.

The EU's economic sanctions against Russia expire at the end of July and a decision to extend them will have to be made then.

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