Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday extended a ban against most Western food imports for a year after EU foreign ministers agreed to prolong sanctions against Moscow over the Ukraine conflict until January 2016.
“The government turned to me with an appeal to extend the measures,” Putin told a government meeting.
“In accordance with this letter today I signed a decree to extend certain special economic measures with a view to ensuring Russia’s security,” he said in comments released by the Kremlin.
“We are extending our retaliatory measures by one year beginning from today.”
Russia had been expected to prolong the ban for six months after EU foreign ministers formally agreed Monday to prolong damaging economic sanctions against Russia until January 2016, to ensure it fully implements Ukraine peace accords.
Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev on Monday said he would ask Putin to extend the embargo on Western food imports as well as sanctions targeting certain foreign trade transactions by another six months.