Analysis

Ukraine extends ban on Russian imports until 2021

The Ukrainian government has issued a decree extending previous bans on a variety of imports coming from Russia until December 31, 2020.

The extended ban prohibits the import from Russia of industrial, chemical and agrifood products, among others, and comes after Russian president Vladimir Putin prolonged a similar Russian decree on June 24, banning the import of Ukrainian food products and restricting the transit of certain other goods coming from the country until end-2020.

The two countries have imposed trade restrictions on each other since 2016. After the EU and Ukraine adopted the economic part of their bilateral association agreement, Russia introduced a food embargo on goods originating from Ukraine. In response, Ukraine imposed a partial ban and restrictions on Russian food products.

The latest round of restrictions came in April 2019, when the Russian president banned the export of petroleum products to Ukraine, which responded by introducing an embargo on Russian industrial and chemical products.