Leaders of the 27 EU member states met for a two-day summit in Brussels on Monday with the goal of sealing an settlement on lastly imposing an embargo on Russian oil more likely to prime the agenda.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who has repeatedly referred to as on the EU to halt all fossil gas imports from Russia, will tackle the summit through videoconference within the night.
The deliberate sixth spherical of sanctions in opposition to Moscow following its invasion of Ukraine has been stalled for nearly a month over tense disagreements throughout the bloc as a consequence of various ranges of dependence on Russian-sourced vitality.
Hungary is main the members in opposition, together with Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Bulgaria, who say they can not halt imports.
Nonetheless, the EU’s overseas coverage chief Josep Borrell was optimistic regardless of the “robust talks yesterday afternoon, in addition to this morning,” telling broadcaster France Information on Monday morning that: “I believe that this afternoon, we will supply to the heads of the member states an settlement.”
His sentiments had been mirrored by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. “Nobody can predict whether or not it should really be the case, however every thing I hear sounds as if there may very well be a consensus eventually,” he stated upon arriving in Brussels.
This view was countered by Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas who stated: “I do not assume we’ll attain an settlement in the present day.”
What’s Hungary’s opposition to the embargo?
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, considered one of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s closest allies throughout the EU, had demanded that the oil embargo query be taken off the summit’s agenda. His nation depends on Russia for 60% of its oil and 85% of its pure fuel.
One resolution that has been floated is to impose sanctions solely on oil transported by ships and depart the Druzhba pipeline that feeds Slovakia and Hungary untouched. Orban referred to as this a “good method” on Monday, however insisted that Hungary “has to have the correct to get Russian oil from different sources” in case “one thing occurs to the pipeline carrying Russian oil.” That is “one thing that the Ukrainians and others have spoken about,” the right-wing nationalist chief stated.
Nonetheless, banning oil by ship would set off a value surge that might hit international locations akin to Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany, forcing them to pay extra for oil than Hungary.
European Fee President Ursula von der Leyen stated on Monday that the necessary level was to not unfairly burden sure EU members, including that “this actual query has not but been solved.”
Earlier than heading into the assembly, Orban careworn that “there isn’t a settlement in any respect” on a potential Russian oil ban after blaming the fee for proposing the measures “out of the blue.”
What else will probably be on the summit’s agenda?
Different proposals for supporting Ukraine can even be on the desk throughout the summit, together with a proposal of €9 billion ($9.7 billion) in monetary help, in addition to additional army support and assist with warfare crimes investigations.
Leaders can even focus on the difficulty of meals safety with proposals on find out how to assist Ukraine export its plenty of agricultural merchandise. The Russian invasion triggered a worldwide meals disaster by choking Ukraine’s exports via the Black Sea. Ukraine is likely one of the world’s greatest exporters of staple items akin to wheat and vegetable oil.
ab/msh (AP, Reuters)