Calls for unity – Schallenberg in Brussels: “Russia is watching us”

His German colleague Annalena Baerbock made a similar statement to Schallenberg’s. “In the coming days we will come to a joint result – I am confident in that,” said Annalena Baerbock. Baerbock also made it clear that she thinks an oil embargo without Hungary and other critical countries is a very bad idea. “It is important that all countries can walk the path of exit together,” said the German Green Party politician. You shouldn’t let yourself split a millimeter.

accusations against Hungary
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis, on the other hand, has made serious accusations against Hungary, which rejects the planned import ban on Russian oil. “The whole Union is being held hostage by one Member State,” he said. On the other hand, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz expressed understanding in a question and answer session of RTL on Monday evening for the problems of Hungary and other Central-Eastern European countries that are heavily dependent on Russian oil.

insists on “unity”
A “certain need for discussion” is “pretty clear” and not all countries – keyword oil – are equally affected, Schallenberg explains. He also criticized the public debate and urged unity in the EU. “The debate should be held where it belongs, namely behind closed doors in the Council and will then become public when we have an agreement.” Schallenberg “the essence”, that has been “successful up to now”.

Screws can be tightened
As for the punitive measures, the “military complex” in Russia is an area “in which we have to go very hard,” the Austrian foreign minister said. That would also be part of the sixth sanctions package. But “we also need to look at what we have already achieved,” Schallenberg said. However, the screws could still be tightened.

No new proposal for Hungary
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said his government has still not received a serious new proposal from the European Commission. Modernizing Hungary’s energy infrastructure would cost between 15 and 18 billion euros, the minister wrote on Facebook. An alternative would be to exclude pipeline oil imports from the import ban. The European Commission recently proposed a transition phase for Hungary until the end of 2024.

20 months for Slovakia and Hungary
Negotiations between EU countries on an oil embargo were said to have been concluded more than a week ago. The European Commission’s original proposal was to end imports of Russian crude oil in six months and oil products in eight months because of the war in Ukraine. Hungary and Slovakia should be given 20 months. So far, proposals for improvement have failed to convince Hungary to give up the blockade.

EU would pay “twice”.
At the meeting, Kuleba pushed for a swift import ban on Russian oil and gas. “I would like to remind you that European countries continue to spend millions of euros on Russian oil and gas every day,” Kuleba said in Brussels. This money then finances “the Russian war machine, aggression and atrocities”. The EU would therefore pay “twice”. First Russia and then for aid to Ukraine and destruction by Russian weapons. Sanctions against Russian gas and oil are therefore also in the EU’s favor.