RUSSIA: Russia's agricultural ministry says it has banned all meat imports coming through Ukraine, saying its neighbour had failed to enforce basic veterinary norms.
The "temporary restrictions" come amid a trade war over gas prices, with Russia insisting that Ukraine next year pay about four times as much for gas imports as this year.
"The introduction of the temporary restrictions is in connection to serious violations in the delivery rules of the failure to observe Russian veterinary demands," a ministry statement said.
A veterinary ban is a quick and efficient way of putting pressure on a certain country, because it does not require government or parliamentary approval. Russia has already banned fresh fish imports from Norway this month and banned meat imports from Poland in November, a step many Polish politicians said was a politically motivated move to punish a regional rival. - (Reuters)