Russia Imposes a 'Full Embargo' on Food Imports from Western Countries in Retaliation for Sanctions over Ukraine... and Considers Banning Flights to the Region
- PM Dimitry Medvedev strikes back at the West with year-long sanctions
- Banned products include meat, fruit, vegetables, fish, cheese and dairy
- The EU, U.S., Australia, Canada and Norway among countries affected
- EU's agricultural exports to Russia totalled more than £9billion last year
AP. 7 August 2014
Russia today imposed a 'full embargo' on most food imports from the West in retaliation for sanctions over Ukraine - a sweeping move that will cost Western farmers billions of dollars but could also lead to empty shelves in Russian cities.
The decision shows that President Vladimir Putin has no intention of bowing to Western pressure over Ukraine and will instead try to strike back at the West.
It also demonstrated that the Kremlin is ready to inflict damage on Russia while pursuing its course in Ukraine.
Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev also warned that Russia could block transit flights for European and U.S. Airlines to the Asia-Pacific region.
Scroll down for video
'Sanctions only lead to a deadlock': Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev announces
a 'full embargo' on most food imports from the West in retaliation for sanctions over Ukraine
In televised comments, he told a government meeting: 'Russia is introducing a full embargo on imports of beef, pork, fruit and vegetable produce, poultry, fish, cheese, milk and dairy products from the European Union, United States, Australia, Canada and Norway.'
The ban goes into effect immediately and will last one year unless 'our partners demonstrate a constructive approach' with regards to sanctioning Russia, he said.
'Of course this is a serious decision for the suppliers of such foods from these countries.'
The U.S. and the EU have accused Russia, which annexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in March, of fomenting tensions in eastern Ukraine by supplying arms and expertise to a pro-Moscow insurgency, and have imposed asset freezes and loan bans on a score of individuals and companies.
Could lead to empty shelves: Shoppers buy imported fruit at a supermarket in Moscow. Experts say
local producers will find it hard to fill the gap left by the ban because of poor efficiency and shortage of funds
Russia depends heavily on imported foodstuffs - most of it from the West - particularly in the largest and most prosperous cities such as Moscow.
In 2013, the EU's agricultural exports to Russia totalled 11.8 billion euros (£9.3 billion), while the U.S. Department of Agriculture says food and agricultural imports from the U.S. amounted to $1.3 billion.
Experts said that local producers will find it hard to fill the gap left by the ban, as the nation's agricultural sector has continued to suffer from poor efficiency and shortage of funds.
The damage to consumers inflicted by the ban will be felt particularly hard in big cities like Moscow, where imported food fills an estimated 60-70 per cent of the market.
Medvedev said Russia could go further and ban Western carriers from flying over Russia on flights to and from Asia - a move that would significantly swell costs and increase flight time.
Unrest: The U.S. and the EU have accused Russia of fomenting tensions in Ukraine by supplying arms and
expertise to pro-Moscow separatists (above) who has also been blamed for the shooting down of flight MH17
He said there has been no decision on that yet, and wouldn't specify when and under what conditions the move could be taken.
Medvedev made it clear that Russia hopes that the sanctions will make the West revise its policy and stop trying to pressure Russia with sanctions.
'Until the last moment we hoped that our partners would understand that sanctions only lead to a deadlock, and no one needs them, but they didn't,' he said.
'We hope our partners will put a pragmatic economic approach above bad policy considerations, and they will start thinking instead of trying to scare us.'
If the West doesn't revise its course, Russia may follow up by introducing restrictions regarding imports of planes, navy vessels and cars, Medvedev warned, but added that the government will realistically assess its own production potential.
Russia bans EU food imports and threatens airspace restrictions: