KIEV, March 31. /TASS/: The Ukrainian government has banned the import of wheat, rye, sunflower oil, and a number of non-food products from Russia. The decree to that effect was published on the government’s website on Wednesday.
"[The government rules to] supplement the list (of goods prohibited for import from Russia) with the following items: wheat and a mixture of wheat and rye (meslin), sunflower oil, safflower or cottonseed oil and their fractions, unrefined or refined, but without changes in their chemical composition," according to the document dated March 29.
The Ukrainian government supplemented the resolution of December 30, 2015 "On prohibition of import of goods of Russian origin into the customs territory of Ukraine." The new ban covers import of surfactants, cleaning detergents packaged for retail, newsprint, cardboard, kraft paper and kraft paperboard, toilet paper, cosmetic wipes, towels, tablecloths and napkins. A total of 25 new items have been added. In addition, it is prohibited to import unalloyed steel wire, tools for drilling rocks or soil, metal carts, axles, wheels and their parts.
The decree comes into force ten days from the date of publication.
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.
