(VOVworld) - Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev signed a decree to introduce a most-favored-nation (MFN) regime for Ukraine instead of a free trade zone agreement and impose sanctions against Kiev starting January 1, 2016.

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev signed a decree to introduce a most-favored-nation regime for Ukraine  © Dmitry Astakhov/Russian Government Press Office/TASS

The MFN regime without any exceptions will be applied to Ukraine. All preferential advantages will be a thing of the past and no benefits will be in place. The economic counter-measures will be imposed because Ukraine joined sanctions against Russia imposed by the EU and the US. PM Medvedev said Russia has to impose the MFN regime to protect its domestic market and producers and prevent the import of goods from other countries posing as goods from Ukraine until the Ukraine-EU agreement takes effect in 2016.

Earlier Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree suspending the agreement on free a trade zone with Ukraine starting January 1, 2016.