Having helped Sochi secure the Winter Olympic Games, Jon Tibbs knows a thing or two about dealing with the Russians.

“They are probably our most favourite nation for doing business with,” said the public relations expert, whose firm JTA exports its consultancy services to countries like Russia, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and Turkey.

“There are misconceptions about doing business in Russia, such as everyone being corrupt. We have never once been asked to pay a commission or a bribe in 10 years.

“And of all the nations in the world we work with Russians are the best payers. They are meticulous about drawing up contracts and paying on time.”

Mr Tibbs’ enthusiasm for the country is understandable. Russia is a big market for his Tunbridge Wells firm. Former Soviet republics and Russia make up more than 50% of their business.

Over the last three years, JTA has increased export revenues from 47% to 68%. It now enjoys a turnover of £2.5m with 16 staff. Last month the Lord Lieutenant of Kent, Viscount De L’Isle, presented the company with the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade.

However, Mr Tibbs’ business with Russia is under threat as the possibility of wider sanctions against the Kremlin remains a possibility.

So far the British government and EU are yet to put blanket trade bans on the country, as a result of the diplomatic tensions caused by its stealth invasion of Ukraine.

Trade bans exist on financial, energy and military sectors but over the last month, the situation appears to have stabilised.

Mr Tibbs said: “If we lost Russia and the six or seven clients we have there it would be a damaging blow to our business.

“We would have to respect any decision taken by the British government but equally we are a business so we would look at ways to salvage the situation as best we could. The work we do is non-political in many ways.”

Despite the uncertainty, Mr Tibbs’ business would survive if a trade ban was put in place. In its non-export sector, JTA’s biggest client is Manchester United. JTA has handled their corporate reputation for four years.

Yet with the World Cup in Russia in 2018, Mr Tibbs feels British business could miss out on the chance to serve the country’s 11 host cities. He advocates foreign trade as chairman of the UKTI advisory board for sport.

He said: “They are going to need accommodation, venues, training facilities and excellent transport infrastructure and all of those spawn a huge micro-economy of new business opportunities.

“Obviously it is tricky for British companies to knock on doors at a time of political tensions in the Ukraine but with the help of UKTI and the British Embassy all things are possible.”

One company not faring so well from Eastern Europe’s present diplomatic situation is apple farmer AC Goatham & Son of Hoo.

The family-owned company has been left with a sour taste as the price of tree-grown fruit has dropped by up to 25% thanks to Russian counter-sanctions on EU imports.

As a result, European countries that usually export to Russia have been forced to sell elsewhere, saturating the market.

The problem has been exacerbated by a good harvest this year.

Co-owner Clive Goatham said: “There’s a better crop this year and we are in an industry led by market forces and the availability of our product.

"Farmers in Belgium, Poland and France have volumes of crop which have been earmarked to Russia and which don’t have a home now.

“As we are all aware, the market place for multiple retailers has changed dramatically in the last six months, with the rise of discounters.

"So the major established multiples are using market forces to effectively fill their boots with cheap produce available as a result of the Russian situation and enhance their performance in the UK.”