The European Union has proposed a six-month phase-out of Russian crude imports
The European Union has to this point not introduced Hungary with agency ensures of its power safety amid an effort to part out Russian oil imports, the Hungarian authorities mentioned on Wednesday. The remark got here forward of a gathering of EU envoys on the choice.
The Hungarian authorities’s press workplace informed the information outlet AFP that it didn’t “see any plan or assure on how even a transition might be managed on the idea of the present proposals, and what would assure Hungary’s power safety.”
In accordance with AFP, European Fee President Ursula von der Leyen steered that Hungary and Slovakia, two nations closely depending on Russian oil, be given a further transition interval to make sure a much less painful implementation of the ban.
The phase-out of Russian oil had been touted as one of many elements of the EU’s sixth spherical of sanctions in opposition to Moscow, which representatives of all 27 EU member states mentioned on Wednesday. For the brand new sanctions to return into impact, the package deal needs to be backed unanimously.
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Hungary has beforehand spoken in opposition to the proposed ban on Russian oil imports, with the nation’s Overseas Minister Peter Szijjarto emphasizing on Tuesday that “presently it’s bodily unimaginable to function Hungary or the Hungarian economic system with out Russian oil.” In accordance with Budapest, it receives as a lot as 65% of its oil from Russia.
Slovakia, whereas actively supporting Ukraine, together with with weapons deliveries, has additionally opposed Brussels’ plan. The nation’s Financial system Minister Richard Sulik informed journalists on Tuesday that Slovakia’s sole refiner, Slovnaft, couldn’t substitute Russian oil with another in a single day, including that the change in know-how would take as much as a number of years. The official confirmed that Bratislava would “insist on the exemption.”
Each nations obtain Russian oil through the Soviet-era Druzhba pipeline.
On Monday, Reuters, citing unnamed EU officers, reported that the European Fee was intent on placing the ban in place by the beginning of subsequent yr a technique or one other. Russia exports almost half of its crude oil and petroleum merchandise to Europe, which represents a substantial supply of its income.
