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Western countries harm themselves sanctioning Russia — Putin

Russia wouldn't have imposed a ban on food imports from sanctioning countries if Russian agribusiness couldn't handle it
Russian President Vladimir Putin EPA/ALEXEY DRUZHININ/RIA NOVOSTI/KREMLIN POOL
Russian President Vladimir Putin
© EPA/ALEXEY DRUZHININ/RIA NOVOSTI/KREMLIN POOL

MOSCOW, November 18. /TASS/. The Russian agribusiness is capable of making up for a shortfall of products hit by Russia’s food embargo in response to western sanctions, President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday.

“If we and I didn’t feel that Russia’s agribusiness is capable of solving these tasks, we would not have imposed any counter sanctions as in this case it would have cost us much and we would have created a problem for ourselves,” Putin said at a meeting of the All-Russian People’s Front political movement.

“Naturally, we need to take advantage of this,” Putin said.

Western countries that imposed sanctions against Russia actually did themselves harm as Moscow took advantage of their “incorrect” behavior and responded with a food embargo, which hurt their positions on the Russian agricultural market, Putin said.