In an unexpected move, the outgoing European Commissioner responsible for trade Karel de Gucht has announced that Brussels will be asking US and Canada to open their markets to European products which are suffering from the Russian boycott.

De Gucht said that he will be visiting the US next Monday and he will be asking markets for European food and dairy to be opened during the crisis. He also said that he will also be asking Canada to do the same, once an agreement is announced between EU and Canada on September 26.

The Belgian said that he hoped that “they will be able to show solidarity in that respect”, noting that the US and Canada markets are bigger than the Russian market.