MOSCOW, August 6 (RIA Novosti) – Russia’s move to ban imports of agricultural products from countries that imposed sanctions on Moscow is “counterproductive and unjustified,” an EU diplomat told RIA Novosti Wednesday.
“It is counterproductive and unjustified. It is just a preliminary assessment,” the diplomat said on condition of anonymity.
He added that the EU may announce its official stance on the issue as soon as Russia unveils details on the goods that are to be banned.
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree earlier on Wednesday banning imports of agricultural and food products from countries that imposed sanctions on Russia for one year.
The European Union, the United States, Canada and Japan have compiled sanctions lists against Russian companies, banks, politicians, freezing their bank accounts, banning them entry and refusing to buy Russian goods. The move has been linked to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Moscow has repeatedly denied all the allegations saying it never interfered with the Ukrainian internal affairs and stressed that the sanctions policy was unacceptable and counterproductive.
