No Need For Ukraine To Get Emotional About Food Embargo: Russian Minister

Ukraine’s reaction to Russia’s sanctions against Kiev is “emotional,” Russian Economic Development Minister Alexey Ulykayev said. The minister said Russia had been warning Ukraine about possibilities of further sanctions for a long time.

Russia earlier announced applying new tariffs from Jan. 1, the day a free trade deal between Kiev and the European Union would take effect. Russia earlier imposed a ban on imported food from Ukraine, which would also take effect on Jan. 1. Russia’s decision comes after Ukraine blacklisted a number of Russian banks, airlines and defense firms, BBC reported.

Ulykayev said there was no reason for Ukraine to be “emotional” about Russia’s moves. "As for the publication of these decisions, what I would like to say first is that our partners took it emotionally, even though I explained that there is no reason for being emotional there, because in September I warned the colleagues about these very consequences if we fail to agree," Tass News Agency quoted him as saying.

"We note that the solution was not reached, Russia was left alone with its anxiety, with risks,” Ulykayev said as he defended Russia’s right to defend its commercial interests unilaterally. "We have no choice other than to unilaterally protect the interests of the Russian economy, Russian manufacturers and Russian citizens."

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko earlier said he was going to announce Kiev’s decision to prolong sanctions against Russia over Moscow’s failure to implement the Minsk agreements.

"It is a format of global support for Ukraine and a motivation for the country-aggressor to implement all items of the Minsk agreements," Poroshenko said.