At the EU summit without discussion on the ban of Russian oil?

Author: Lider/Hina

May 28, 2022

The leaders of the member countries of the European Union will meet on Monday at an extraordinary summit to discuss serious issues related to the war in Ukraine, but the question is whether the main unresolved topic – the attempt to ban the import of Russian oil, will really be the subject of discussion.

It has been almost a month since European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced a proposal to ban the import of Russian oil – by sea or through pipelines – both crude and refined oil, recalls the BBC.

According to the idea of the head of the EC, the EU was supposed to gradually stop importing Russian oil and refined products by the end of 2022, but resistance, especially from Hungary, has halted the controversial sixth European sanctions package.

Other landlocked countries, such as Slovakia and the Czech Republic, have also requested more time due to their dependence on Russian oil. Bulgaria, which has already had its supply of Russian gas cut off by Gazprom, has also requested additional consultations.

Orban does not even want to discuss

However, the Hungarian government of Prime Minister Viktor Orban, which compared the oil ban to dropping a nuclear bomb on its economy, is considered the main obstacle. Orban has written to the European Council stating that he does not even want to discuss it next week.

Diplomats are becoming frustrated, but they also acknowledge that with rising energy prices some countries may not be entirely dissatisfied that the decision is being blocked. On the other hand, some members believe that Europe must stop giving Russia billions that finance the war in Ukraine.

There is also a feeling that Ursula von der Leyen made a mistake by announcing plans before they were fully developed. Nevertheless, both she and the head of the European Council hinted this week that an agreement could be reached in a few days.

That is “absolute nonsense”, said one EU diplomat, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is angry about the delays.

“I am grateful to our friends who promote new sanctions. But where does such power come from for those who block the sixth package? Why are they still allowed to have such power, including within European procedures?”, said Zelensky.

At the extraordinary summit, there will officially be discussions on financial support for Ukraine, food security, defense procurement, and broader issues of the EU’s energy transition. The draft conclusions, which are available to the BBC, refer to the gradual phasing out of Russian fossil fuels, while briefly touching on the specific issue of sanctions on oil.

“Avoiding discussion is not very realistic”, suggested a senior diplomat.

There is indeed a high probability that someone will raise controversial topics, which always find a way to surface, and the question is whether the discussion will escalate into a quarrel.

Frustration is heightened by the fact that the delay prevents further implementation of other measures since the sixth sanctions package does not only pertain to oil. This package also proposes an expansion of export controls and a list of individuals subject to asset freezes, as well as targeting the majority state-owned Russian Sberbank.

Hunting for more money?

Member states quickly signed previous sanctions packages, including a gradual embargo on Russian coal. Officials proudly spoke about how the EU defies old narratives about slow and cumbersome decision-making in the EU.

And so it was, until now.

In his letter this week, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban warned Charles Michel that a discussion on the oil embargo “would only highlight our internal divisions”. Gradually phasing out Russian oil, he claims, would require “a complete restructuring of Hungarian refineries”.

In other words, it would cost a lot, which has led some to suspect that Orban is ultimately seeking more money.

European Parliament President Roberta Metsola is optimistic and believes that Hungary is essentially taking a “negotiating stance”.

However, funds recently earmarked for supporting the EU’s energy transition come from a pot that Hungary does not yet have access to. All of this is part of a financial tug-of-war between Brussels and Budapest, due to accusations that Orban’s government is undermining democratic standards through various moves, writes the BBC.

Orban’s supporters claim that Hungary is being slandered for charting its own path and that it is entirely justified to resist a harmful oil ban without sufficient guarantees.

Various ideas have emerged, such as imposing price caps or tariffs on Russian oil to reduce Kremlin revenues. Another recent proposal was to first reduce Russian exports by sea, leaving the pipeline issue for later.

At the EU summit without discussion on the ban of Russian oil?

Orban does not even want to discuss

Hunting for more money?

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