SAMARA (Sputnik) — According to the official, the drop in trade is linked to Russia stopping importing dairy and meat products from Finland.
"The fall of export and import stands at around 32-33 percent. This is the data for 2015 as compared to the data of 2014," Severi Keinala said.
The European Union and the United States imposed a series of sanctions against Russia beginning in 2014, accusing Moscow of interference in Ukraine's internal affairs.
Moscow has refuted the allegations, warning that the Western sanctions are counterproductive. In response to the Western restrictive measures, in August 2014, Russia announced a one-year food embargo on products originating in states that imposed sanctions against it. The ban has since been extended for another year.
