TEMPO.CO, Moscow - Russian President Vladimir Putin has decided to counter the Western sanction by issuing a regulation that bans agriculture products imported from the United States. RIA Novosti, quoting Alexei Alexeenko from Russian related authority, wrote that all [agriculture] products from the United States will be banned.

Alexeenko added that the government is considering banning fruits and vegetables imported from European Union (EU) nations. The measures came as a harsh response towards EU and Western sanction that targets Russian economy, in light of Crimean involvement accusation.

The White House spokeswoman Laura Lucas Magnuson responded to the measures, saying it would result in further international isolation towards Russia. The nation is highly dependant to imported, mostly Western food. Agricultural import from the US last year reached US$1.3 billion, while it reached US$15.8 billion from the EU nations.

Moreover, Russia is considering to apply harsher counter by restricting airspace for European airlines flying to Asia. Such rumors have made shares from some top airliners to drop. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov so far gives no comment, saying only that the "West" should rethink about their business and citizens.

AP | INDAH P