Latvia to ban imports of certain industrial goods from Russia, Belarus

RIGA, Aug. 25 (Xinhua) -- Latvia's government on Tuesday approved a ban on imports of a range of industrial goods from Russia and Belarus starting Sept. 1.

The ban covers printed books, newspapers and other printed materials, clothing and other textile products, footwear, headgear, toys, games and sports equipment, according to the Foreign Ministry.

The regulations, proposed by the ministry and approved by the cabinet, will also apply to goods of Russian or Belarusian origin imported into Latvia through third countries.

The Foreign Ministry said the measure was aimed at protecting Latvia's security interests, adding that the goods covered by the ban were replaceable with products from other markets.

Latvia has sharply reduced its economic ties with Russia and Belarus since 2022. Official data showed the value of imports fell 91 percent to 193 million euros (225 million U.S. dollars) in 2025 from 2.129 billion euros (2.5 billion dollars) in 2022. Enditem