BERLIN, March 21. /TASS/. Five European Union countries - Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Czech Republic, and Estonia - are demanding that the European Commission (EC) restrict grain imports from Russia and Belarus, the DPA reported, citing a corresponding document signed by their agriculture ministers.

The document allegedly states that Russia, through the profits gained from exporting its grain to the EU, is financing military actions in Ukraine. The five countries urge the EC to develop regulatory acts to limit supplies from Russia. Additionally, they believe that the European Commission should consider the possibility of further reducing the import of agricultural products of Russian and Belarusian origin into the European Union.

DPA, citing Eurostat data, informed that in recent years EU countries have significantly increased grain imports from Russia: while in 2020 and 2021 they imported 120 million and 290 million euros-worth of grain respectively. In 2022 and 2023, the number is some 325 million euros and almost 440 million euros respectively.