Russia propose to extend Western food ban for further 18 months

The decision has come in retaliation to the EU’s decision to extend economic sanctions against Moscow.

Speaking on Thursday, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said he will submit a proposal to Presdient Vladimir Putin to extend the ban until December 31st 2018. Medvedev said the ban will help create incentives for Russian farmers.

Moscow has warned it would only lift the ban introduced in 2014 if the U.S. and the EU roll back the sanctions they imposed following Russia’s annexation of Crimea and support for separatist insurgents in eastern Ukraine.

Original ban

Russia originally imposed the ban on food imports from the EU, the US, Canada and several other countries in response to western sanctions on Russia in the wake of Putin’s annexation of Crimea and his country’s interference in the Ukraine conflict.

Blacklisted food imports included meat, fish, dairy, fruit and vegetables.

In late June 2015, Russia extended the embargo until 5 August 2016 and also excluded young oysters and mussels, any cheese and limited non-lactose dairy products.

In June 2016, Russia confirmed that the ban would extend until late 2017.

Before the embargo was put in place, the EU exported €12 billion annually to Russia.

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