"We don't want bad relations with Russia [..] we want good relations, peaceful relations, flourishing relations, also economically, with Russia - there's no doubt about that," the German ambassador said.
"It's in Russia's hands whether there'll be sanctions, whether they'll be prolonged, whether they'll be alleviated, whether they'll be modified," he said.
"If Russia complies with the commitments that Russia itself has made under the Minsk agreements, these sanctions can go," said Schütte.
Watch the rest of the interview, which covers topics like the EU's integrity, transatlantic relations, refugee policy and Donald Trump, by clicking the video above.
On Wednesday Germany's Embassy in Latvia opened its Facebook page, publishing a stop-motion video with embassy staff holding placards that say "We're on Facebook! (Finally!)"
