The EU is preparing a complete rejection of Russian oil

EU to present plan for complete phase-out of Russian oil on 15 April

The European Commission is preparing to present a new legislative initiative on 15 April to completely abandon Russian oil. Western media report this with reference to EU documents.

Details

According to the sources, the document is supposed to secure the final severance of energy ties with Moscow and ban imports of Russian oil even if the war against Ukraine ends. The proposal is expected to be made public after the parliamentary elections in Hungary.

The European Union has already significantly reduced its purchases of Russian oil, but a complete refusal has not yet been formalised in a separate legislative act.

Position of Hungary and Slovakia

Currently, Hungary and Slovakia are the only EU countries that continue to import Russian oil through the Druzhba pipeline.

Both countries oppose a full embargo and warn of possible lawsuits if harsh restrictions are imposed. They explain their position by their high dependence on Russian raw materials and risks to energy security.

Context.

Since Russia's full-scale invasion, the EU has been consistently reducing its energy dependence on Moscow. The share of Russian oil in the bloc's imports has fallen to minimal levels, and the strategy REPowerEU envisages the complete ousting of Russian energy from the European market.

The new plan should be the final step in this process and increase economic pressure on Russia.