Russia retaliated against the US and European Union’s latest economic sanctions by announcing a ban on most fruit and vegetable imports from Poland.  Moscow said it could extend it to cover produce imports from the entire European Union.

The confrontation between Russia and the West entered a new phase this week, with the United States and European Union restricting sales of arms and of equipment for the oil industry, while Russian state banks are barred from raising money in Western capital markets.  They’re the strongest steps yet against Moscow over its support for Ukraine’s rebels.

Moscow called the new sanctions “destructive and short-sighted” and said they would lead to higher energy prices in Europe while damaging cooperation with the United States on international affairs.

“By going on a sanctions spree, Brussels, by its own will, is creating barriers for further cooperation with Russia in such a key sphere as energy,” read the statement from Russia’s Foreign Ministry.

But the Group of Seven now says more sanctions could be on the way if Russia continues to support the separatists.  The statement from the leaders of the G7 countries – the US, UK Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and Japan – was a show of solidarity among allies.  They expressed grave concern about Russian actions that have undermined “Ukraine’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence”.