KIEV, August 23 (RIA Novosti) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Saturday that new sanctions against Russia are not on agenda at the moment but they are possible in future if the situation in Ukraine deteriorates.
"We cannot rule out thinking about further sanctions if things do not progress," the chancellor said, following talks with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko in Kiev.
The European Union, the United States and some other countries have imposed sanctions against Russian companies, banks, politicians, as well as the financial, energy and defense sectors of the Russian economy over the ongoing crisis in Ukraine.
Moscow has repeatedly called the measures counterproductive and denied any involvement in the Ukrainian conflict.
In August, Russia introduced protective measures banning the import of agricultural and food products from countries that had imposed sanctions on Russia for a year. 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.
