German politician: No sanctions over Kosovo secession - why then over Crimea?

BELGRADE - The West has made serious mistakes when it comes to Russia, repeatedly refusing to take into account Russia's interests, says German politician Gregor Gysi.

The former leader of the Left in Germany's parliament spoke for the daily Die Welt, Sputnik in Serbian is reporting.

Among these mistakes, Gysi listed "the bombing of Yugoslavia" as well as the creation of the U.S. missile defense shield in Eastern Europe, and the desire to get Ukraine in NATO - after which Russia's Black Sea Fleet, headquartered in Crimea, would have found itself in the territory of the Western military alliance, B92 reports.

Gysi thinks it was also a mistake to impose sanctions on Russia because of Crimea became a part of that country, and that "different measures should have been taken."

"After the secession of Kosovo, which was not in accordance with international law, no...