Embargo on oil and gas from Russia? There is support in the EU, but Hungary is against further sanctions

The heads of diplomacy of the member states met on Monday in Luxembourg, where they talked, inter alia, on the imposition of an embargo on oil and gas imports from. – The Czech Republic is in favor of the strictest possible sanctions against Russia – said Minister of Foreign Affairs Jan Lipavsky. As emphasized by the head of the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Jeppe Kofod, further restrictions should include an embargo on oil imports from Russia.

In turn, the head of Irish diplomacy, Simon Coveney, said that the European Commission is preparing the sixth sanctions package, which will include an embargo on Russian oil.

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Hungary does not support further sanctions on Russia’s energy resources

On Tuesday, the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs Jan Lipavsky at a meeting of the heads of informal diplomacy of the Central European group Central 5 (co-created by Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia and Hungary) said that one of the priorities of the Czech presidency of the Council of the European Union starting in July will be to limit contacts with Russia.

– During our presidency, we would like to make progress in the discussion on limiting the import of Russian oil. Russia’s revenues from trade with the EU must be minimized, Lipavsky said.

The ministers from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria and Slovenia announced their support for another package of sanctions against Russia. In turn, the head of Hungarian diplomacy, Peter Szijjarto, noted that his country would not support restrictions on the supply of Russian oil and gas. He also added that Budapest will not supply arms to Ukraine.

– In order to ensure the security of energy supply, Hungary will not support any proposal imposing sanctions on oil or gas imports – emphasized Szijjarto.

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Hungary wants to pay in rubles for Russian gas

The Hungarian authorities announced on Monday that they intend to pay for Russian gas in euro via Gazprombank, which will convert the payment into rubles, it says. Earlier, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban made a similar statement. The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, warned that this would break the unity of the EU.

In March, Russia introduced a decree that changes the way gas is paid. Currently, the fee must be paid in rubles, not in euros or dollars. In order to make such a transaction, the buyer must open ruble accounts with the Russian-controlled Gazprombank, which, according to Ursula von der Leyen, is “a breach of sanctions”.