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imports from Ukraine.
The restrictions mean that Russian exporters will have to apply for special permission from the Russian Ministry of Economic Development.
Concorde Capital Evgeniya Akhtyrko said: “This latest spiral in the trade war between Ukraine and Russian Federation will further harm Ukraine’s foreign trade, with imports of oil products likely to be the most negatively affected. In 2018, Ukraine’s imports of petrol and petrol products (including gasoline) from Russia amounted to $2.1bn, or 37% of total exports in this group. This means that Ukrainian oil importers will need to find other supplies within a very short period of time. The domestic economic situation will also be harmed, with shortages on the retail gasoline market to be very likely, as well as price fluctuations”.
Concorde Capital Zenon Zawada said: “These trade restrictions are the latest in a series of measures taken by Russia this week to apply political pressure on Ukraine on the eve of the second-round runoff vote, scheduled for April 21. Russia favours Volodymyr Zelenskiy becoming president and is aiming to boost his vote count with the looming threat of worsening trade, particularly with the industrial, Russophile southeastern regions.”
“The Kremlin is also seeking to put Zelenskiy in a more disadvantaged negotiating position, even before he takes the oath of the presidency, and make it more all the more difficult for him to avoid harmful concessions, or even capitulation, if he is to fulfill one of his key promises of putting an end to warring in Donbas.”
2.7 Ukraine adopts controversial language bill
Ukraine's parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, adopted on April 25 a draft law on the Ukrainian language, which provides for the mandatory use of the national language by government agencies, local self-government and in other spheres of public life that is a set back for “rebooting” the peace process promised by Ukraine’s president-elect Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
Zelenskiy’s position on the law is unclear. While he has said that he will protect and promote Ukrainian, he also said he has “questions” about the new language law.
The motion was supported by 278 lawmakers from a total of 450, according to news agency Interfax. The draft law says that it is not applicable to the sphere of private communication and the implementation of religious rites. Ukrainians are allowed to talk to each other in any language they like, but all official communication must now be in Ukrainian. Russian-language newspapers must now publish a Ukrainian version of their publication. TV and film distribution firms must ensure 90% of their content is in Ukrainian and Ukrainian-language print media and books must have at least half their content in the national language.
Software user interfaces must also have Ukrainian version, although English and other EU languages are also permissible under the law.
The Kremlin was quick to condemn the law, which is sees as impinging on the
15 UKRAINE Country Report May 2019 www.intellinews.com