Ukraine considers ban on imports of petroleum products from Russia

The Ukrainian Economy Ministry is considering establishing a ban on imports of Russian oil products and sees this as an important element of the sanctions.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseny Yatsenyuk said yesterday (April 6) that his country is considering banning the import of petroleum products from Russia. This is the latest development in the economic war between Ukraine and Russia since Russia annexed the Crimean peninsula in 2014.

So far, petroleum products imported from Russia have not been included in Ukraine's sanctions list. Photo: Reuters.

Speaking at a televised cabinet meeting, Mr. Yatsenyuk said that Ukraine had applied a number of sanctions against Russia, but one important element, which is imported petroleum products, had not yet been added to the sanctions list.

Yatsenyuk said he had asked the Economy Ministry to create a mechanism to ban imports of petroleum products, which he considered an important element of sanctions against Russia. The proposal will be considered at a cabinet meeting on April 8.

The move by the Kiev government is expected to further worsen relations with Russia. The ban on petroleum products, if passed, will force Ukraine to look for a new supplier in the context that the country is mainly dependent on Russian oil supplies. Last year, Ukraine imported 3.68 billion USD of petroleum products, of which 22% came from Russia.

According to VOV