Russia accepts accessing countries are covered by existing EU trade treaty

On April 27, Russian officials will sign an agreement concerning the inclusion of new member states into the partnership and cooperation treaty currently binding between the EU and Moscow, despite the fact Russia's earlier demands were not met. Indeed, it was not long ago that Russia was threatening the EU with a trade war and the doubling of customs duties on imports from Poland and other EU-accessing states over the matter. However, as Krzysztof Trepczyński of the Economy Ministry said, "Realism has won. If they [Russia] decided on an encounter with the EU, they would not benefit from such a situation." The agreement might substantially limit the export of some Russian products to Poland, such as fertilizers and steel, among other things. (Rzeczpospolita, pp. A1, B2) M.M.