European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has proposed tariffs on grains imported from Russia "to deprive it of revenues from these exports and to prevent destabilizing the European market," according to "Russia Today." She stated at a press conference at the end of the first day of the EU Heads of State and Government summit in Brussels yesterday: "We have prepared a proposal aimed at increasing customs duties on imports of grains, oilseeds, and related products, specifically from Russia and Belarus. This will prevent Russian grains from destabilizing the European market for these products."
In the first official Russian response to this European proposal, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated: "The potential imposition of tariffs by the EU on agricultural products coming from Russia and Belarus will only worsen the existing situation concerning global food." Zakharova commented on von der Leyen's statements about the European Commission beginning preparations to implement such measures, asking: "Is she that concerned about countries facing the threat of famine? How will such actions contribute to achieving global food security?"
