Food security

The Kremlin Diet: Are Food Bans An Effective Foreign Policy Tool?

Imposing import bans on foreign food and drink – most recently a prohibition of Turkish fruits and vegetables – has become a go-to move in Russia’s foreign policy playbook. In recent years, Russia has barred a wide variety of products from a broad array of neighboring states – everything from Polish apples, Georgian wine and Moldovan fruit to Lithuanian dairy and Ukrainian candy – in an attempt to coerce former Soviet states into following the Kremlin’s lead. But a look at Moscow’s various food fights calls into question whether such embargoes are an effective way for Russia to advance its foreign policy goals.

It looks like New Year’s Eve will be the last chance for the Russians to enjoy Turkish tomatoes or tangerines for a while. Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decree banning import of Turkish foodstuffs goes into effect on January 1, and is expected to deliver an almost $800 million blow to Turkish agriculture.