Poland has vetoed talks on a Russia-EU cooperation deal over Russia's embargo on its meat products. Earlier in the day, EU officials failed to persuade Poland to end its veto.
Vladimir Putin, on a visit to Helsinki the day before a Russia-EU summit in the Finish capital at which talks on a new agreement were set to take place, said: "The problem is that Polish authorities fail to properly regulate supplies of meat products from other countries to our market, which are banned not only in Russia but also in the EU."
Putin said Moscow has no claims against the quality of Polish meat, but objects to products of third countries being imported to Russia via Poland.
Russia introduced its meat and poultry embargo on November 10, citing concerns over violations of veterinary regulations. Russia had already banned certain agricultural imports from Poland last year, on health grounds.
The president said, "The sluggish attitude on the part of Polish authorities primarily harms Polish producers, because we are forced to ban all meat exports [from Poland]."
He also said the dispute with Poland would not affect relations with other EU countries.
"In order to resolve these issues, we must sit at the negotiating table and find acceptable solutions," Putin said.
