Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatseniuk does not rule out a complete restriction of bilateral trade with Russia.
“I’ll give you the following forecast: we should prepare for the
practically complete restriction of trade with Russia in the bilateral
format,” he said at a conference dedicated to diversification of markets
and sources of industrial goods in Kyiv on July 18.
According to the premier’s estimates, if the Russian market were to
be closed to Ukrainian goods, the decrease in exports would amount to
about $5 billion.
Yatseniuk stressed that in the situation when Western countries
impose sanctions against Russia and restrictions on bilateral trade,
carrying corresponding losses, it is wrong from the side of Ukraine “to
sit and think that it will pass by itself.”
“I am aware of all economic consequences. And you realize them. But I
also understand exactly that Russia is not the only market in the world
to which Ukrainian products must be supplied. Therefore the government
should do everything to diversify sales markets in the short term,” he
said.
The prime minister said that now many companies themselves have entered other markets and thus are able to sell their products.
“And it turns out that we are de facto at war and say: please buy our
produce for million dollars. It somehow does not fit in my head, and I
do not know, maybe it’s okay for someone, but for me it’s not normal.
Gas is cut off, the price is set at $500, while recognizing that each of
you is suffering, including the entire country. A trade embargo is
being introduced for all of our products… [The Russians] left only the
things they cannot do without,” said Yatseniuk.
