According to a European source quoted by Reuters, the delegations of the 27 member states did not agree on The sixth package of sanctions against Russia, which includes an embargo on Russian oil.
According to the same source, there will be a new meeting tomorrow.
Hungary, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Bulgaria are seeking exemptions from the European Union and a transitional period over a European embargo on Russian oil imports, senior officials said today.
Earlier today, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen presented to the European Parliament a sixth package of sanctions against Moscow, which will include a gradual embargo on Russian oil imports. ]
In particular, Slovakia wants a transitional period of three years to gradually implement the EU-proposed embargo on Russian oil, said Economy Minister Richard Sulik.
THE Slovakia It supplies almost all of its crude oil from Russia, mainly through the Druzba pipeline, and has drawn up with Hungary, which is also heavily dependent on Russian supplies, to seek exceptions to the Union’s oil embargo plans.
“We agree with this sanction, but we say we need a transitional period until we can adjust to the situation,” Sulik told reporters in Bratislava. “What is being discussed today is the length of the transition period.”
The Slovak minister noted that a longer transition would give the country time to secure alternative supplies.
An EU source told Reuters that Hungary and Slovakia will be able to continue buying Russian crude oil until the end of 2023 under existing contracts.
On her side Hungary stressed through the Hungarian Foreign Minister that it cannot support the proposed EU embargo on crude oil imports from Russia, as this would undermine its energy security.
“The Brussels sanctions package would ban oil shipments from Russia to Europe for a relatively short time, in the case of Hungary at the end of next year.”said Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto in a Facebook video, adding that Budapest could not support the measures in their current form.
Hungary could only agree to these measures if crude oil imports from Russia via pipelines exempt from sanctions, the minister said.
At the same time the Bulgaria will seek similar exceptions. “Bulgaria, technologically, can do without Russian crude oil, but that would significantly increase fuel prices,” Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister Asen Vassilev said in an interview with the financial daily Capital. Therefore, if the European Commission considers exceptions, we would like to benefit from such exceptions. “
At the same time, the Czech Republic will seek a period of exemption from the proposed EU embargo on Russian oil, gaining time to increase pipeline capacity, Prime Minister Petr Fiala said today.
“We are ready to support this decision (on sanctions, including oil), as the Czech Republic will have some postponement until the capacity of oil pipelines that can deliver oil to the Czech Republic is increased.”“We are trying to get this postponement for two, maybe three years,” said the Czech prime minister.
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