Yatsenyuk: Ukraine quits FTA with Russia, raises duties on Russian goods, introduces trade embargo

Ukraine comes out of a free trade area with the Russian Federation, raises duties on all Russian goods and introduces a trade embargo on the number of Russian-made products, according to Ukraine’s Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk who addressed the nation in a “10 minutes” TV show.

The Prime Minister reminded that in connection with the entry into force of the Ukraine-EU Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area, the Russian Federation, as expected, has introduced a trade embargo against Ukraine and illegally came out of the free trade zone within the CIS.

"Our response is as follows. Ukraine comes out of a free trade are with the Russian Federation, raises duties on all Russian products and introduces trade embargo on food products manufactured in the Russian Federation, as well as machinery goods and rail cars," said Yatsenyuk, adding:" Are actions are mirror-like. It was not us who started this war. But the aggressor will be punished."

The Prime Minister emphasized that the DCFTA "is precisely the Agreement, for which millions of Ukrainians fought on the Maidan: "This is precisely the prospect of the Ukrainian economy to become competitive, strong, exemplary, the one that attracts investment from the European Union, creates new jobs, trading freely with Europe, allowing the Ukrainian business to develop and move forward."

Yatsenyuk added that it’s mostly about duty free sales of Ukrainian goods in Europe and of the European goods in Ukraine: "This is competition, which is a challenge for the national producers. But first of all, it is an opportunity for the Ukrainian businesses to become stronger, more competitive, and enter new markets."

The Prime Minister stressed that Russia "has done everything to ensure that Ukraine not become part of the European area, not return to our historic European family": "The former regime refused to sign an agreement on a free trade area with the European Union. And millions of Ukrainians took to the streets. And we have won."

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