MOSCOW, May 13 (RIA Novosti) – Expanding anti-Russian sanction lists by the European Union has “outlived itself as an approach to serious political problems,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement Tuesday.

The statement came during a meeting in Moscow between Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin and European Union Ambassador to Russia Vygaudas Ušackas.

“Karasin characterized the continuance of the European Union’s sanctioning policy toward Russia as having outlived its purpose to serious political problems, which does not solve them, but expands contradictions and interferes in the joint search for an exit from the actual crisis situation in Ukraine,” the statement said.

The ministry said the May 11 referendums in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk and Luhansk regions “should be perceived as a clear signal to Kiev of a deep crisis of mutual understanding, and in a broader sense, of Ukrainian statehood.”

Both republics declared themselves sovereign states on Monday with Donetsk planning to ask Moscow to join Russia. The Luhansk leadership has not ruled out the possibility of a referendum on becoming part of Russia.

The EU added two Crimean companies and 13 individuals to a Russian sanctions list over the escalating situation in Ukraine. In total, the EU sanctions now target 61 people, including high-ranking Russian officials.

Moscow has repeatedly stated that the language of sanctions is “inappropriate and counterproductive” and warned its Western partners about the “boomerang effect” that sanctions would have.