OREANDA-NEWS. August 04, 2014. After Estonian writer Indrek Hargla recently said he was boycotting milk with Russian labeling in protest over the aggression in Ukraine, weekly Eesti Ekspress turned to dairy magnate Oliver Kruuda for a comment for this week's issue.

In curt remarks, Kruuda said he was skeptical of the conventional view that Russia was the instigator, and said armchair comments were not constructive.

"I think reciprocal sanctions aren't necessary. Sanctions aren't needed anywhere. Building sales and markets takes time. Who compensates the jobs that will be lost? What do we tell the farmers who have been toiling for years in the name of all this?" said Kruuda in a longer comment.

"I would be pulling for the business people who have invested there. The EU can't get by without Russia, and Russia can't get by without the EU. Mutual cooperation is necessary. If someone from far away wants to thwart mutual cooperation …" he said, alluding to what he said was a significant role by the US.

Kruuda, the former owner of Kalev, is the majority owner of Tere dairy.