The European Commission wants to ban the import of all Russian oil. The proposal submitted to the EU member states is to stop imports of crude oil within six months and also with manufactured petroleum products by the end of the year.

This initiative from Brussels is part of the sixth package of sanctions against Russia. In the plans for additional sanctions, more Russian banks will be closed from the international payment system Swift.

Member states have yet to vote on it; Today, the ambassadors of the European Union are meeting in Brussels.

not easy

“Let’s be clear: it won’t be easy,” said commission chairman von der Leyen about the planned import ban. Europe is largely dependent on oil from Russia, despite how different it is from a member state. But she says it is critical to impose a complete import ban in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The proposal was met with applause in the European Parliament, where the plan was presented. The head of the commission explained that if it is passed, it will significantly weaken the Russian economy. “With this step we are depriving the Russian economy of the opportunity to diversify and modernize. Putin wants to wipe Ukraine off the map, but it is clear that he will not succeed.”

Kremlin horns

The new sanctions package also includes a proposal to ban the senior officers responsible for them, according to Brussels War crimes in Bucha, for example to take punitive measures. The Russian military leaders behind the “inhumane siege” of Mariupol have also been blacklisted.

According to the commission, this last step is an important signal to those in power in Moscow: “We know who you are and you will be held accountable.”

In addition, Brussels also wants to stop broadcasting three other Russian state media in Europe. It did not mention any channels, but von der Leyen described these media as mouthpieces of the Kremlin that “vigorously amplify Putin’s lies and propaganda.”