European Parliament urges swift ban on food imports from Russia and Belarus

Representatives of most political groups in the European Parliament advocated sanctions against agricultural products from Russia and Belarus. The debate on this issue took place on Tuesday, DW reports.

Polish MEP Andrzej Halicki called for an urgent embargo on Russian agricultural products on behalf of the European People's Party, the largest group in the European Parliament. He stated that his colleagues are waiting for the bill from the European Commission, which will be presented at the meeting of the Council of the EU.

"Russia is throwing its food into Europe and using it as a weapon. Now we are observing an increase in the import of food and grain from Russia and Belarus at dumping prices. This is an extremely worrying trend," he said.

Halicki also cited statistical data according to which, in the Netherlands, this import has increased by 70% compared to a year ago, while in Spain, Germany and Italy – by 40%.

Also, the Lithuanian MEP Pietras Aušträvičius, who represents the Renew Europe group, called for an embargo to be introduced as soon as possible.

"The EU's trade with the aggressor state Russia and Belarus, which supports it, is immoral and should be stopped," he argues. "Extortion serves the military goals of the aggressors, and it works against Ukrainians and against all of us."

According to his data, in 2023, the Russian Federation and Belarus sold more than 1.5 million tons of grain to the EU market, which creates unfair price competition, worsening the situation of farmers in the European Union.

Spain's Clara Aguilera, who represents the group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, indicated that it was important for them to focus on the stabilization of EU agricultural production. Therefore, her group can agree to similar restrictive measures against Russia.

Polish lawmaker Aanna Fotyga, who spoke on behalf of the European Conservatives and Reformists group, and French parliamentarian Gilles Lebreton, who represents the Identity and Democracy group, also spoke in favor of the embargo.

After the beginning of blocking the Ukrainian-Polish border: members of the Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers went to the border for negotiations. At that time, the Polish side was given five steps to unblock the border, including stopping the supply of agricultural products to Poland from Russia and Belarus. After that, Poland decided to ask the European Union to introduce sanctions against Russian and Belarusian agricultural products.

Ukraine, in turn, has also said it will restrict trade with the EU to resolve a political dispute with Poland, but instead calls on Brussels to ban imports of Russian grain.

Latvia has already finally banned vegetables, fruits and grains from Russia and Belarus.