EU leans towards Russian oil ban by year-end, diplomats say

May 1, 2022

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BRUSSELS: The European Union is leaning in direction of a ban on imports of Russian oil by the top of the 12 months, two EU diplomats mentioned, after talks between the European Fee and EU member states this weekend.
The European Union is getting ready a sixth bundle of sanctions towards Russia over the invasion simply over two months in the past of Ukraine that Moscow calls a particular navy operation.
The bundle is anticipated to focus on Russian oil, Russian and Belarusian banks, in addition to extra people and corporations.
The Fee, which is coordinating the EU response, held talks dubbed “confessionals” with small teams of EU international locations and can purpose to agency up its sanctions plan in time for a gathering of EU ambassadors in Brussels on Wednesday.
EU power ministers are additionally resulting from meet within the Belgian capital on Monday to debate the difficulty.
The EU diplomats mentioned some EU international locations had been in a position to finish their use of oil earlier than the top of 2022, however others, notably extra southerly members, had been involved in regards to the affect on costs.
Germany, one of many larger patrons of Russia oil, seemed to be keen to associate with the end-2022 cut-off, the diplomats mentioned, however international locations together with Austria, Hungary, Italy and Slovakia nonetheless had reservations.
Some EU international locations have proposed choosing a cap on the worth they’re keen to pay for Russian oil. Nevertheless, it could nonetheless go away them compelled to pay greater costs for provides from elsewhere.



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