German Chancellor Olaf Scholz confirmed his reservations about the current proposal on new EU sanctions against Russia, but does not see the German government as an obstacle to an agreement.
"No, we are not blocking them (sanctions)," he told ZDF television on Saturday on the sidelines of the G7 summit in southern Italy.
"As with all other sanctions packages, we are working intensively with everyone else and want to ensure that this is done as pragmatically as possible."
The EU punitive measures under negotiation are intended in particular to prevent Russia from circumventing existing sanctions - for example to obtain Western technology that the defence industry can use to manufacture weapons for the war in Ukraine.
Scholz acknowledged that Berlin was concerned that such sanctions could potentially penalize Germany's export-oriented firms.
He said his aim was to ensure that Germany can continue to export goods to other countries, while also making certain that those goods do not ultimately end up in Russia.
"This must be done in a way that is feasible, that works," Scholz said on ZDF television.
In a separate interview, Scholz told the Welt TV channel that companies must be able to successfully manage whatever the EU agrees to. "It's a practical question and not a fundamental question of principle," he said.
Diplomats in Brussels have cited German concerns and requests for changes as the main reason why negotiations on new EU sanctions against Russia have still not been finalized.
An EU official told dpa that it had recently felt as if Germany was the new Hungary, which has delayed Russia sanctions in the past.
"That's a great line, but it's complete rubbish," Scholz told Welt.
German government demands have included that companies should not be obliged to ensure trading partners comply with EU sanctions rules themselves.
