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Ukrainian Cabinet extends restrictions on Russian goods until the end of 2021

The document notes that this measure will in particular contribute to "the implementation of measures to counter trade aggression on the part of the Russian Federation"

KIEV, November 25. /TASS/. The Ukrainian cabinet has extended restrictions on Russian goods until the end of 2021.

"[Hereby the cabinet rules] to extend, until December 31, 2021, the application of preferential rates of import duties established by the customs tariff of Ukraine (raised to the level of the rates of the WTO most favored nation treatment) on the import of goods originating from the Russian Federation," the explanatory note to the draft resolution says.

The document notes that this measure will in particular contribute to "the implementation of measures to counter trade aggression on the part of the Russian Federation", "filling the budget by collecting import duties on goods originating from the Russian Federation", "reorienting imports from the Russian Federation to the markets of other countries and the development of trade cooperation with other countries." On December 4, 2019, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine also extended the relevant decree for a year.

Russia suspended the free trade zone agreement with Ukraine starting from January 1, 2016, after the economic section of Ukraine’s association agreement with the European Union came into force.In addition to that, Russia’s embargo on European goods, which had been in place since August 2014, was expanded to include Ukraine in early 2016. It prohibits imports of meat, sausages, fish and shellfish, fruit, vegetables and dairy products from Ukraine. Kiev responded with a ban on imports of goods originated from Russia, which came into force on January 10, 2016. Ukraine expanded sanctions against Russian imports several times that same year, and repeatedly prolonged them.

Kiev has repeatedly introduced new duties and embargoes on Russian goods. Previously, restrictions covered, in particular, meat, fish, cereals, grain, bakery and confectionery, dairy products, coffee, tea, vodka, beer, cigarettes, a number of chemicals, mineral fertilizers, railway equipment, animal feed and veterinary medicine products as well as cars, buses, tractors, trucks and motorcycles, diesel fuel, liquefied gas.