Moscow bans food imports from the US and EU

World Today

Russia is banning food imports from the U.S. and European Union. The ban is in retaliation for Western sanctions imposed on Moscow, because of its actions in Ukraine.

It follows bans on Ukraine’s dairy products and fruit from Poland, which the Kremlin previously said have nothing to do with sanctions. From chicken to apples to soybeans, milk, bourbon whisky, beef, pork and fruit juice an increasing list of food items are becoming victims of the deteriorating relationship between Russia and western countries. Russia’s food and consumer watchdogs have frequently banned foreign foods.

In each case Russian authorities say their health rules have been breached. Producers and analysts in the U.S., Ukraine, Poland and beyond say that the bans always come amid strained relations and call them purely political decisions. This time President Putin has called for a list of banned products citing, “national interest,” as the reason and dispensing with any pretense that heath concerns, rather than sanctions retaliation are the reason.

Russia imported more than 276,000 tons of U.S. broiler chicken meat last year, making it the second largest importer after Mexico. The banning of these imports might actually encourage more domestic Russian production, hope some Russian meat producers, but bank sanctions do worry them. But rather than oil or gas, banning food imports is seen as a low cost way for Russian President Vladimir Putin to retaliate against western sanctions over Ukraine.   CCTV America’s Tom Barton reports.

Moscow bans food imports from the U.S. and EU

Russia is banning food imports from the US and European Union. The ban is in retaliation for Western sanctions imposed on Moscow, because of its actions in Ukraine.

Who will be hurt more from this? Some say this is a cheap way to retaliate, others say the sanctions will hurt the Russian people more as inflation grows.
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Tom Barton Live in Moscow on the U.S. and EU Sanctions

Tom Barton has more on who is going hurt more from this? Some say this is a cheap way to retaliate, others say the sanctions will hurt the Russian people more as inflation grows.