France hopes that relations Between Russia and Europe will be strengthened, despite disagreements over the situation in Ukraine, said French Ambassador to Moscow Jean-Maurice Ripert.
"we must defend ourselves, Russia found itself in isolation. We need Russia, Russia needs the EU, ? the Ambassador said in the interview to " Interfax ".
in June, the EU Council formally extended punishment against Russia for another six months ? until 31 January 2016. In addition, on 19 June, the Council of the European Union officially confirmed the extension of sanctions on Crimea and Sevastopol until June 23, 2016. In the Ministry of foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation said that Moscow is disappointed by the decision of Brussels on the extension of economic sanctions against Russia, noting that the EU is deliberately ignoring the fact that the extension of restrictive measures will result in the loss of jobs to hundreds of thousands of Europeans. The Russian President Vladimir Putin said the signing of the decree on the extension of protective measures from 6 August 2015, and the Cabinet of Ministers of Russia issued a decree on the renewal of countermeasures relative to the countries that supported anti-Russian punishment. However, the European economists have estimated damage from the EU attempts of isolating Russia: it will be More than 100 billion euros and 2 million lost jobs. Will suffer Germany, which has lost 27 billion and half a million jobs and GDP will decline by 1%. At the 2nd place Italy with 200 thousand Unemployed and 0, 9% of GDP, on the 3rd France ? 150 thousand Jobs and half a percent of the productivity of the economy.

sections: Politics