Medvedev Inks Responsive Economic Measures Against Ukraine Effective Jan. 1

In response to Ukraine's anti-Russia sanctions, Moscow will introduce economic measures against Kiev on January 1.

GORKI (Sputnik) – Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has signed a directive to impose economic measures against Ukraine beginning from January 1, 2016, in response to Kiev’s implementation of anti-Russia sanctions.

“Beginning January 1, 2016, responsive economic measures will be implemented against Ukraine in line with its joining the anti-Russian sanctions by the European Union and the United States,” Medvedev said during a meeting with his deputy ministers outside Moscow.

Medvedev explained that measures against the import of agricultural goods, raw materials and foodstuffs were imposed earlier against Iceland, Norway, Lichtenstein, Montenegro, and Albania in August, and Ukraine would be included in the same list should Kiev reach an agreement on the economic part of the EU Association Agreement.

“Since Ukraine has made the decision of implementation [of the Association Agreement], and there has been no special agreement reached [with Russia], these measures will expand to include Ukraine from January 1,” Medvedev said.

On December 1, Russia, the European Commission and Ukraine failed to reach an agreement on the EU-Ukraine free trade deal. The Russian side, represented by Minister of Economic Development Alexei Ulyukaev, said that unless the agreement was reached by the end of the year, Russia was likely to introduce a food embargo against Ukraine starting January.

The Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area, an economic component of Ukraine’s Association Agreement with the European Union, comes into effect on January 1.

Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree suspending Russia’s implementation of the Commonwealth of Independent States free trade deal with Ukraine also effective from the start of 2016.