UPDATE: Russia not to lift food import ban before West changes stance – PM

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BORSHCHEVKA, Tambov Region/WASHINGTON, Apr 4 (PRIME) -- Russia will not change anything in the food import ban until Western partners change their stance towards Moscow, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said on Tuesday at a meeting with employees of a Tambov Region meat company.

“Everyone I meet (in the agriculture sector) asks the main question, and it even looks like a request, to keep these sanctions, I mean our anti-sanctions, as long as possible as they help their production develop. I can assure you, we will not touch anything until we have a normal attitude toward us, but judging by the unfortunate turns of political events, our partners are not eager to improve relations with us,” he said.

Since 2008, imports of meat and meat products contracted by 300%, but local production increased 160%, leaving a lot of room at the market for development. Demand is already 89% covered by local production, while Russia plans to cover 80% and import the rest. Russia will very soon become a net exporter, Medvedev said.

David O’Sullivan, the E.U. ambassador to the U.S., said that there are no signs that the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is going to lift sanctions from Russia unilaterally. “We have had no such indications,” he said during a hearing of the Foreign Relations Committee of the U.S. Senate, adding that E.U. is a “partner against Russian aggression.”

Relations between Russia and the West worsened in 2014 due to a military conflict in Ukraine. The West introduced sanctions against some Russian individuals and firms and against the oil, gas, and banking industries. In response, Russia limited food imports from some countries, including the U.S., the E.U., Canada, Australia, and Norway.

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