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Ukraine Bans All Imports From Russia, Urges Harsher Economic Sanctions on Moscow.

A member of the Ukrainian State Border Guard Service stands guard at the Goptovka crossing point on the border between Russia and Ukraine in Kharkiv Region, Ukraine November 28, 2018. REUTERS/Vyacheslav Madiyevskyy
A member of the Ukrainian State Border Guard Service stands guard at the Goptovka crossing point on the border between Russia and Ukraine in Kharkiv Region, Ukraine November 28, 2018. REUTERS/Vyacheslav Madiyevskyy
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Ukraine Bans All Imports From Russia, Urges Harsher Economic Sanctions on Moscow.

A member of the Ukrainian State Border Guard Service stands guard at the Goptovka crossing point on the border between Russia and Ukraine in Kharkiv Region, Ukraine November 28, 2018. REUTERS/Vyacheslav Madiyevskyy
A member of the Ukrainian State Border Guard Service stands guard at the Goptovka crossing point on the border between Russia and Ukraine in Kharkiv Region, Ukraine November 28, 2018. REUTERS/Vyacheslav Madiyevskyy

Ukraine has banned all imports from Russia, one of its key trading partners before the war with annual imports valued at about $6 billion, and called on other countries to follow and impose harsher economic sanctions on Moscow.

“Today we officially announced a complete termination of trade in goods with the aggressor state,” Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko wrote on her Facebook page on Saturday.

“From now on, no Russian Federation’s products will be able to be imported into the territory of our state.”

Since the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, exchange of goods and services between the two neighboring countries has been virtually non-existent, but Saturday's move makes the termination of imports a law.

“The enemy’s budget will not receive these funds, which will reduce its potential to finance the war,” Svyrydenko said.

“Such a step of Ukraine can serve as an example for our Western partners and stimulate them to strengthen sanctions against Russia, including the implementation of the energy embargo and isolation of all Russian banks.”

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has repeatedly called on the West to boycott Russian oil and other exports and halt exports to Russia over its military assault.

The West has imposed numerous measures on Russia that have already isolated Moscow to a degree never before experienced by such a large economy and on Saturday British Prime Premier Boris Johnson said more sanctions are to come.

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Saudi Arabia Makes History with Adoption of Riyadh Treaty on Design Law

Photo of the Riyadh Diplomatic Conference on the Design Law Treaty (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Photo of the Riyadh Diplomatic Conference on the Design Law Treaty (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Arabia Makes History with Adoption of Riyadh Treaty on Design Law

Photo of the Riyadh Diplomatic Conference on the Design Law Treaty (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Photo of the Riyadh Diplomatic Conference on the Design Law Treaty (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Arabia has made history by uniting the 193 member states of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) to adopt the Riyadh Treaty on Design Law. This landmark achievement, realized after two decades of deliberation, underscores the Kingdom’s leadership in enhancing the global intellectual property system.

The announcement came at the conclusion of the Riyadh Diplomatic Conference on the Design Law Treaty, a rare event for WIPO, which has not held a diplomatic conference outside Geneva for more than a decade. It was also the first such event hosted in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East, representing the final stage of negotiations to establish an agreement aimed at simplifying and standardizing design protection procedures across member states.

Over the past two weeks, intensive discussions and negotiations among member states culminated in the adoption of the Riyadh Treaty, which commits signatory nations to a unified set of requirements for registering designs, ensuring consistent and streamlined procedures worldwide. The agreement is expected to have a significant positive impact on designers, enabling them to protect their creations more effectively and uniformly across international markets.

At a press conference held on Friday to mark the event’s conclusion, CEO of the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property Abdulaziz Al-Suwailem highlighted the economic potential of the new protocol.

Responding to a question from Asharq Al-Awsat, Al-Suwailem noted the substantial contributions of young Saudi men and women in creative design. He explained that the agreement will enable their designs to be formally protected, allowing them to enter markets as valuable, tradable assets.

He also emphasized the symbolic importance of naming the convention the Riyadh Treaty, stating that it reflects Saudi Arabia’s growing influence as a bridge between cultures and a global center for innovative initiatives.

The treaty lays critical legal foundations to support designers and drive innovation worldwide, aligning with Saudi Arabia’s vision of promoting international collaboration in the creative industries and underscoring its leadership in building a sustainable future for innovators.

The agreement also advances global efforts to enhance creativity, protect intellectual property, and stimulate innovation on a broader scale.

This achievement further strengthens Saudi Arabia’s position as a global hub for groundbreaking initiatives, demonstrating its commitment to nurturing creativity, safeguarding designers’ rights, and driving the development of creative industries on an international scale.

The Riyadh Diplomatic Conference, held from November 11 to 22, was hosted by the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property and attracted high-ranking officials and decision-makers from WIPO member states.