Chancellor Olaf Scholz is under increasing pressure for his position in support of Ukraine
Germany ready to support European Union immediate ban on Russian oil. This could allow an embargo to be imposed in a matter of days, according to Reuters.
“Germany is not against the ban on Russian oil. Of course, it is a heavy burden, but we would be ready to do it,” said Economy Minister and German Vice Chancellor Robert Habek before talks with European counterparts in Brussels.
Finance Minister Christian Lindner: “As for coal and oil, it is now possible to abandon Russian imports. It is possible that fuel prices may rise.”
Earlier it was reported that at the beginning of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine, Germany covered about a third of its oil needs with Russian supplies. However, the state managed to reduce its dependence on oil from Russia to 12 percent , which allowed it to impose a gradual embargo.
Recall, the European Commission plans to discuss the draft of the sixth package of sanctions against Russia on May 3.
The European Commission may also relieve Hungary and Slovakia of the need to impose an embargo to buy Russian oil, as both countries depend on it. The oil embargo is likely to be imposed gradually and will not take full effect until early next year.
The issue of restricting energy exports from Russia has been actively discussed in the EU for several weeks. Read more about this in Mikhail Gonchar's article “Europe in Russia's energy trap: how to overcome dependence?” .
See special topic: In the Luhansk region, the occupiers shot the house of a farmer with an armored personnel carrier because he refused to give them his equipment – Gaidai In the occupied territories, the invaders are trying to create collective farms and take away their property from locals. A fragment passed through the tattooed Crimea on the shoulder: Defender of “Azovstal” shared a poignant photo A friend of the fighter from Mariupol was wounded. Ukraine's air defenses have destroyed eight enemy drones in one day, one of which costs $ 7 million – the Armed Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Ukrainian defenders continue to destroy the enemy in the air. Russia has admitted that it has deported 200,000 Ukrainian children According to the Russian Federation, Ukrainians are allegedly asking for an “evacuation” to Russia. Russia will try to annex the occupied territories of Donbass in mid-May – US intelligence The occupiers plan to create a so-called “people's republic” in the Kherson region for the same purpose.
