Hungary continues to oppose the European Union’s proposal to ban oil imports from Russia, delaying the adoption of the sixth package of sanctions against Moscow. Brussels’ intention was to finalize a deal by Monday, May 9, when Europe Day celebrates the peace and unity of the European continent, but the celebration will be overshadowed by the war in Ukraine.
The sixth package of the European Union’s sanctions against Russia is the toughest as it is a complete embargo on Russia’s oil imports, proposed by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in the European Parliament last week. According to the head of the European executive, “this will be an embargo on all Russian crude or refined oil delivered by sea or pipelines”.
The idea in Brussels is to phase out the supply of crude oil over the next six months and the supply of refined products by the end of the year. On Sunday, the meeting of the bloc’s 27 countries ended with no agreement due to Hungary. Like Slovakia, Budapest is heavily dependent on Russian oil and has not accepted the long-term exemption Brussels has proposed to continue purchasing the product until the end of 2024.
As a result, the adoption of the new sanctions package, which had to be unanimously approved, was delayed. Negotiations should continue until Tuesday (10).
In addition to oil, the new sanctions aim to remove three Russian banks, including the country’s largest, Sberbank, from the Swift international transfer system, freezing the assets of 58 Russian personalities, officials and military, including a Kremlin spokesperson. Peskov and his family – as well as Patriarch Kirill, head of the Russian Orthodox Church.
Indirect financing of the war in Ukraine
According to the Energy and Clean Air Research Center, an independent organization headquartered in Finland, the European Union ? 44 billion Russian oil, gas and coal since the beginning of Russian troops’ invasion of Ukraine last February 24. The biggest buyers on the block are Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and France.
But this indirect financing of the war in Ukraine should partly put an end to the new package of sanctions. Despite the fears that the cut of the product could cause in Europe and its impact on the world oil market, the European Union does not intend to stop acting.
European consumers will need to be aware of the consequences of the embargo on their daily routines. But as Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi asked, “Do we want peace or do we want air conditioning all summer?”
The initial sanctions against Moscow shortly after Russian troops invaded Ukraine had a financial purpose and hit the country’s banks and some economic sectors. Now, with this sixth package of sanctions, the target will be the energy sector, which is at the center of EU-Russia relations.
However, experts point out that oil does not have the largest share in Russia’s energy market and that the European Union’s dependence on Russian gas is much stronger. Therefore, it does not seem possible to ban gas imports at this time.
Europe Day without an air of celebration
There is not much to celebrate this 9 May Europe Day, which celebrates peace and unity on the European continent. The historic “Schuman Declaration” of Robert Schuman, which sets out his vision for a new form of cooperation in Europe, is celebrated on this date. Many believe that the European Union began at the suggestion of this important political figure of the Old Continent.
However, the war in Ukraine, which has entered its 75th day, will leave no room for celebration this year. Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatovic on Saturday condemned the “staggering” violations of human rights and international humanitarian law in Ukraine after the Russian army’s four-day visit to Kyiv and the region.
source: Noticias
