Putin adds another year to ban on Western food imports

MOSCOW - Reuters

Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with members of the government, with Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev seen in the foreground, at the Kremlin in Moscow, June 24, 2015. Putin has extended Russia's ban on food imports from the West by one year, longer than had been expected, in retaliation to the extension of European sanctions against Moscow over Ukraine. Reuters Photo

President Vladimir Putin has extended Russia's ban on food imports from the West by one year, longer than had been expected, in retaliation to the extension of European sanctions against Moscow over Ukraine. 

The ban, which prohibits most food imports from the United States, the European Union, Australia, Canada and Norway, was expected to be prolonged for six months starting from early August after the European Union extended sanctions this week. 

"Our reaction on the decision of our European colleagues regarding so called sanctions... The head of the government has approached me with a letter to extend measures, which we put in place in a response to actions of our partners," Putin told a meeting of government members in Moscow on June 24. 

"... We extend our retaliatory measures for one year starting from today. I think it will be a good guideline for domestic producers," Putin said. 

The list of banned products, approved last year, included fruit, vegetables, meat, poultry, fish, milk and dairy, but the agriculture ministry said earlier on June 24 that it was considering adding confectionery, canned fish products and flowers to the list. 

It was not immediately clear if Putin has approved the expanded list.