Russia is going to retain the food embargo as a response measure to anti-Russian sanctions, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said in an interview with Russian television channels.
“So far, we are retaining these measures. However, everyone should be prepared for the fact that sooner or later this will end and once again there will be a very clean competitive field. To prepare for this, it is necessary to develop agriculture and industry to the level where these fields are absolutely at the same level with the western industry and agriculture,” Medvedev said.
The Prime Minister noted that many Russian companies are asking the government not to lift retaliatory sanctions. According to him, the response measures were introduced primarily to stimulate development of the domestic production.
“We have introduced the response measures to not just annoy our Western partners, but to develop our economy. Russian businessmen ask us not to cancel them, because they felt the opportunity for development,” Medvedev added.