MOSCOW, August 7 (RIA Novosti) — Russia is prepared to argue its case of limiting food imports from a number of western countries and stand its ground in the World Trade Organization, Russian Agriculture Minister Nikolai Fedorov said Thursday.
"The legal argumentation of the Russian leadership’s position and decision is formalized and reasonable," Fedorov said.
"It's understandable that our opponents may turn to procedures that are provided within the WTO. We are ready to contest and participate in these consultations and disputes," he said.
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevičius told RIA Novosti on Thursday the European Union would most likely examine the possibility of turning to the WTO in regard to Russia’s import embargoes, adding there would be consequences or Russia.
On Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin singed an order on economic measures to protect the country’s security. The decree banned for a year imports of agricultural and food products from countries that have imposed sanctions on Russia. The list includes meat, poultry and milk products as well as fruits and vegetables from the United States, the European Union, Canada, Australia and Norway. The embargo does not include infant foods and goods.
The Russian restrictions came as a response to several rounds of Western sanctions against Russian officials, business people and companies.
The United States imposed the first limitations at the height of the Ukrainian crisis and pressed for the allies in the West to follow its lead. The European Union, Switzerland, Canada, Australia and Japan soon caved in to the US sanctions push and drew up their own blacklists.
Since March, when Crimea rejoined Russia, the European Union has imposed a total of nine rounds of sanctions, with two of them against the former Ukrainian leadership and seven against Russia. Washington has adopted a total of six rounds of anti-Russian sanctions.
Moscow has repeatedly called the measures counterproductive and stressed that Russia is not involved in the Ukrainian conflict.
