European Union member countries that oppose an embargo on Russian oil will be “complicit” in war crimes, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kouleba said on Wednesday. “If a country in Europe continues to oppose an embargo on Russian oil, then there will be good reasons to say that this country is complicit in the crimes committed by Russia on Ukrainian territory,” said Dmytro Kouleba, in a live video on Twitter. “If a country opposes an embargo on Russian oil, it means one thing: this country is on the side of the Russians and it shares responsibility for everything that is done by Russia in Ukraine”, the leader further argued. Ukrainian diplomacy.
He made the remarks after Hungary, heavily dependent on Russian oil, on Wednesday rejected a European Commission proposal to embargo Russian oil. This country criticized the absence of “guarantees” for its energy security in this proposal “in its current form”. “It is not a question of lack of political will or timetable, but simply the physical, geographical and infrastructure reality,” said Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto.
A progressive calendar contested by Ukraine
The European Union wants to strengthen its sanctions against Moscow by gradually banning oil imports in order to “make Vladimir Putin pay a high price” for his war against Ukraine, the President of the European Commission announced earlier in the day. , Ursula von der Leyen. Its proposals were sent overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday to the 27 Member States, called upon to validate them.
Dmytro Kouleba meanwhile “welcomed” these proposals, but challenged the proposed gradual timetable – waiving deliveries of crude within six months and refined products by the end of 2022. “But it’s better than nothing “, he commented. “The time for half-sanctions is over,” he said again, castigating “an absurd situation” in which the EU “imposes several sanctions” on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine, “ while still paying (Moscow) for its gas and oil”.
The Europeans pledged in March to rid themselves “gradually” and “as soon as possible” of their dependence on Russian gas, oil and coal.