Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev announced Thursday that Russia has banned fruit, vegetables, meat, fish, milk and dairy imports from the United States, the European Union, Australia, Canada and Norway. Medvedev said the ban was effective immediately and would last for one year.
The largest Finnish exporter of foodstuffs to Russia, the dairy products producer Valio, was unable to immediately provide an evaluation of the situation.
"We have not yet received notification through official channels, so we are not speculating about anything yet," the company's communications chief, Pia Kontunen, told Yle.
Parliament to be recalled?
Following news of the Russian import ban announcement, Speaker of Parliament Eero Heinäluoma said that MPs may be recalled from their summer recess and Parliament reconvened if economic relations between Russia and the EU become further strained.
Prime Minister Alexander Stubb has pledged to present Parliament with a review of Russian sanctions as soon as one is requested.