RUSSIA BEGINS PROCESS TO WITHDRAW FROM W.T.O. AND W.H.O

The Russian government is starting the process of unilaterally withdrawing from a series of international bodies, including the World Trade Organization and the World Health Organization, the Russian Duma’s Deputy Speaker Pyotr Tolstoy said on Tuesday.

"We have work to revise our international obligations, treaties that today bring no benefit, but instead directly harm our country. The Foreign Ministry sent a list of such agreements to the State Duma,” Tolstoy said. “Together with the Federation Council, we plan to analyze them and to propose to withdraw," he added.

Tolstoy singled out the international trade and health organizations, saying that "the next step is to withdraw from the WTO and the WHO, which have neglected all obligations towards our country."