As a European summit devoted to Ukraine begins, an embargo on oil transported from Russia by sea could be decided “very soon”, indicated the Minister in charge of Europe.
A sixth package of sanctions against Russia could be adopted by the countries of the European Union on the sidelines of a summit of the Twenty-Seven devoted to Ukraine which begins on Monday. “I have high hopes that we will reach an agreement very soon“, said Monday morning Clément Beaune, the Minister Delegate in charge of Europe, interviewed on France 2. These sanctions could in particular include an embargo on the imports of Russian oil by sea, explained the Minister. It is increasingly difficult for the Twenty-Seven to agree on sanctions, also said Clément Beaune.
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In particular, Hungary’s dependence on imports of Russian oil routed through the Druzhba pipeline, linking Russia to Europe, complicates the negotiations. “The difficulty lies in [le pétrole] which passes through the pipeline, which supplies 100% of countries such as Hungary“, explained Clément Beaune. “We pay for years of addiction“, did he declare. Because of this difficulty, the embargo on Russian oil should first focus on oil transiting by sea, explained the minister, thus excluding from the embargo the oil transported by the Druzhba pipeline. Clément Beaune said he still hoped to reach an agreement “which will have a powerful impact“. “Two-thirds of Russian oil imported into Europe goes by sea“, he recalled. The oil transported by the pipeline could fall under the sanctions in a second time, once an agreement has been reached with Budapest.