Interfax: Extension of Russian countersanctions for one year meets interests of national economic development – Peskov

MOSCOW. June 24 (Interfax) – The extension of Russian countersanctions for a year meets the interests of the country’s economic development, presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov has said.

“Our interests, I mean the interests of the Russian Federation from the viewpoint of the economic development of the country,” he said to journalists answering the question in relation to what Russia prolonged countersanctions for a year instead of responding symmetrically to the EU that prolonged anti-Russian sanctions for six months.

Peskov reminded them that the Russian president had signed a relevant decree implying that the list of commodities to which the food embargo applies will be set by a government act.

“Apparently, it [the list] will appear in a matter of days. The list is approved by an ordinance,” Peskov said.

At a Wednesday meeting with Cabinet members President Vladimir Putin said: “The prime minister wrote a letter to me asking for the measures we took in response to the actions by our partners from some countries to be prolonged. In accordance with this letter, I have signed a decree today prolonging some special economic measures to ensure the security of the Russian Federation, and I am asking the government to promptly prepare and issue an ordinance.”

“As the prime minister suggested, we are prolonging our response measures by one year, as of today. I think it will be a good landmark for domestic agricultural manufacturers,” Putin said.

[featured image is file photo]