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Hot! Russia Reveals Plans To Withdraw From WTO & WHO, What's Up?


The Russian government began the process of unilaterally withdrawing from a series of memberships from international bodies. Deputy Chairman of the Russian Duma Pyotr Tolstoy said Moscow would leave the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the World Health Organization (WHO). 

"We have work to revise our international obligations, agreements that today do not bring benefits, but directly harm our country. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent a list of such agreements to the State Duma," Tolstoy said, quoted from Politico, Thursday (19/5/). 2022).

"Together with the Federation Council, we plan to analyze it and propose to withdraw," he added.

Tolstoy said the government chose to withdraw from the international trade and health organization because the agency had neglected all obligations to its country. 

Earlier, WHO's European member states voted on May 10 in favor of a resolution forcing the WHO to decide on the potential relocation of its European non-communicable diseases office from Moscow as well as the temporary suspension of regional meetings in Russia.

The resolution was condemned by Russia's Deputy Health Minister Andrey Plutnitsky. He described it as a "gross violation of the WHO constitution." 

In March, a pro-Kremlin minority party in the Duma drafted a bill proposing to withdraw from the WTO after a group of Western countries voted to suspend Moscow's trade preferences following its attack on Ukraine.

Even so, the Russian Minister of Industry and Trade Denis Manturov rejected Tolstoy's statement. According to him, it makes no sense for Russia to withdraw from the WTO now. 

"It took us a very long time, almost 16 years, to enter the organization. Everyone expects maximum benefits and results. It is very challenging to calculate the results in terms of value," said Manturov, quoted by the TASS news agency. 

"Unfortunately, in the midst of the current world situation, almost no one pays attention to the WTO and [countries] are taking preferential measures. We are also protecting our industry using every possible means to apply within the framework of civilized rules taking into account the WTO. I don't think that it makes sense to step back today as we have adapted to those conditions," he added.

Manturov added that by joining the WTO, Russia is now able to protect the interests of its domestic companies. 

"About 30 applications have been filed by Russia in the WTO courts, which are being considered. The deliberations are long, but at least there is such an opportunity, we didn't have it before."

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