09:49 25.02.2016

Turkey, EU, U.S., Canada support Ukraine's statement on Russian restrictions at WTO General Council

2 min read
Turkey, EU, U.S., Canada support Ukraine's statement on Russian restrictions at WTO General Council

Ukraine at a meeting of the General Council of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Geneva has made a statement on the Russian Federation's using illegal and discriminatory trade restrictions imposed on January 1, Deputy Minister, Trade Representative of Ukraine Natalia Mykolska has reported.

"The position was supported by Turkey, the EU, the United States and Canada," she wrote on Twitter.

"Russia has not given any reasonable explanation," Mykolska said.

As reported, the WTO secretariat in mid-January 2016 spread among its members Ukraine's statement on illegal and discriminatory restrictions imposed by Russia. Kyiv in the document pointed out that after Ukraine had decided to start the implementation of a deep and comprehensive free trade area (FTA) with the European Union, from January 1, 2016 Russia took several politically motivated measures restricting trade.

In Kyiv's view, such measures as the Russian ban on imports of certain agriculture products, raw materials and foods originating from Ukraine, as well as the cancelation of the preference trade regime previously maintained in conformity with the treaty on free trade within the Commonwealth of Independent States, and Russia's restriction of the transit traffic of Ukrainian goods via Russia to Kazakhstan are in violation of international law rules, the WTO Treaty and fundamental principles, and also of the obligations that Russia bound itself upon as a WTO member.

Back then, Ukrainian economic development minister Aivaras Abromavicius said that the Ukrainian government planned to appeal Moscow's acts via WTO with support from its trade partners, and to introduce alternative ways of transit and to work together with the business circles on gaining access to new markets.

Maxim Medvedkov, director of the trade negotiations department at the Russian Economic Development Ministry told Interfax that this is Ukraine's expected reaction "to our embargo in response to their sanctions". "Our commentary was short: all that we do is consistent with WTO," Medvedkov said.

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