Europeans are arguing over an embargo on oil from Russia. Supporters of such sanctions count on Biden

The war in Ukraine was on Monday [21.03.2022] the subject of the meeting of the ministers of foreign affairs and defense ministers of 27 EU countries in Brussels. – What is happening in Mariupol is a great war crime. We are discussing what further sanctions we can introduce against Russia. Also related to the energy sector, said Josep Borrell, the head of EU diplomacy. While the gas embargo, which is still loudly demanded by, among others, Poland and the Baltic states are now considered an idea without a chance in Brussels, discussions about stopping oil purchases from Russia are still underway.

– Borrell drew attention to the paradox that we are introducing economic sanctions against Russia, and they are neutralized by the rising prices of Russian oil, which we still buy in Europe, commented Minister Zbigniew Rau in Brussels.

Many EU countries are not in favor of a sudden oil embargo, but a very quick – also sanctioning – limitation of its purchases by the EU by means of import quotas or special duties. – When I look at the scale of the destruction in Ukraine, it is difficult for me to justify why we should not enter with sanctions in the area of ​​oil and coal imports from Russia – said the head of Irish diplomacy, Simon Coveney. Many ministers from Central and Eastern Europe, but also, inter alia, from Denmark.

Need for discussion

– If we could stop importing oil overnight, we did it right away – however, Minister Annalena Baerbock commented. The head of the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs argued about the need to discuss, as soon as possible to break the dependence on Russian oil in Germany and those EU countries which – as Baerbock explained – cannot immediately stop buying it. – We will not support any sanctions that would jeopardize Hungary’s energy security – emphasized Minister Peter Szijjarto.

Russian oil can be replaced by often more expensive imports from other countries using tankers, but some EU countries – as our interlocutors among diplomats in Brussels argue – are afraid that Moscow would interrupt gas supplies to Europe in return for its blow on oil purchases.

– An embargo on oil would have a very negative impact on Europe’s energy balance – warned today Dmitry Peskov, spokesman for the Kremlin. Fears of gas retaliation are one of the reasons why some EU countries – for example, Germany and Italy – would prefer a gradual and planned for a few years Europe’s independence from Russian energy resources, i.e. both oil and gas. However, spokesmen for the rapid tightening of sanctions against Moscow hope that pressure from President Joe Biden, who will attend the EU summit this week, will nevertheless push the EU to move away from oil quickly from Russia.

Moreover, the topic of debates on the next EU sanctions package is the idea of ​​closing sea ports for Russians, which is causing disputes in the EU. – We should also talk about restrictions on road transport to Belarus and Russia – said Danish head of diplomacy, Jeppe Kofod. Poland is also demanding such sanctions. Talks are also underway to expand the list of Russian banks disconnected from SWIFT.

More money for weapons for Ukraine

The ministers of the 27 EU countries confirmed today [w poniedziałek 22 marca – red.] their agreement to double (to one billion euros) money from the European Peace Fund for military equipment and a defensive lethal weapon for Ukraine. The European Peace Fund, i.e. over EUR 5 billion for the seven-year plan 2021-2027, is money from outside the “normal” EU budget, which – contrary to the EU’s usual and peace-making rules – allows you to pay for ammunition, anti-tank and anti-aircraft systems.

The idea of ​​doubling the arms pool for Ukraine was already voiced at the EU summit in Versailles on March 11, and will be formalized this week after the official completion of the necessary budgetary procedures in the Bundestag. This delay does not affect the deliveries, because the payments from the European Peace Fund are in the form of reimbursement of the arms expenses for Ukraine incurred by EU countries since the beginning of February. Ukrainian minister Oleksiy Reznikov made a conference call today with EU defense ministers meeting in Brussels.

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Summit with China

In addition, the EU is preparing for a tele-conference with China next week, when Europe will be represented by the heads of the Euro-institutions and Beijing by Prime Minister Li Keqiang and President Xi Jinping. Charles Michel, the head of the European Council, is mandated by 27 EU countries to warn China against the consequences of possible support for Russia, including in circumventing Western sanctions (according to the data available to the EU, Beijing is not doing it yet) for economic relations with Europe. At the same time, incl. Polish diplomacy argues in Brussels that China’s “complete alienation” is not in the interest of the EU.

EU ministers today gave the green light to the EU “strategic compass”, which has been in preparation for two years, which provides for the establishment of an EU force of up to 5,000 by 2025. troops ready for rapid deployment in a “difficult environment”. This decision does not strike at the absolute primacy of NATO in terms of the territorial defense of Europe.