Twenty-seven approve sixth package of sanctions and crude oil embargo, but expect gas shutdown will be more complicated
The European Union on Thursday gave the green light to Russia’s oil embargo and adopted the sixth package of sanctions, which had been blocked by Hungary since early May. After this agreement – which the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, described as “historic and exceptional” – many are wondering what the next step will be. Some countries see the future veto on Russian gas getting closer. Others, on the other hand, are determined to take a break between sanctions rounds and evaluate the impact of the oil embargo before making a decision.
Estonia is one of the countries defending a firmer stance against Moscow and its Prime Minister, Kaja Kallas, asked this Tuesday to “start work on the seventh package of sanctions, which should include Russian gas”. That ambition clashes with the reality and the division of the States around energy penalties.
Belgium’s leader, Alexander De Croo, called for “a pause” after the adoption of the sixth round of sanctions, acknowledging that the gas embargo is “more complicated”. The Austrian chancellor also cooled the expectation that the veto will be included in the seventh penalty package: “Everything is different with gas. That’s why I don’t think an embargo on Russian gas will be part of the next sanctions,” he said.
For his part, the Spanish president, Pedro Sánchez, did not want to promote the debates, but showed his commitment to attack the Russian war machine economically: «Sanctions are the only language that Vladimir Putin understands».
The President of the European Council himself assured that the efforts of the Twenty-seven are now focused on the correct application of the sixth round of sanctions against Russia: “We are concentrating on the implementation of the sixth package of sanctions. This does not prevent some member of the European Council from having an opinion on additional sanctions, but we are focused on the implementation of the sixth package.
The legal document on the sanctions is being prepared at a technical level and is expected to be adopted within a few days, between this Wednesday and Thursday.
All leaders agreed on the “great step forward” represented by the blockade of oil imports entering the EU by sea, 66% of the total reaching the continent. In addition, the Twenty-seven hope to increase that percentage to 90% by the end of the year, with the reduction of crude oil reaching Germany and Poland via pipelines. The agreement to bypass the Hungarian blockade includes a temporary exemption for this country, as well as for Slovakia and the Czech Republic, so that they can build the necessary infrastructure to cut off Moscow’s power supply.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday pressured European leaders to approve the sixth package of sanctions. “Many men, women and children have died since the adoption of the fifth round of measures,” he insisted.
Europe imports from Russia 30% of the oil it consumes and 40% of its gas. The crude oil bolt means in practice a reduction of 50,000 million euros in the annual bill that the Kremlin receives. By the end of the year, 70,000 million less are expected to be imported.
Source: La Verdad
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