EU fails to agree Russian energy ban

Brussels is weighing options after the total oil and gas embargo was met with strong resistance

The European Union has failed to reach a consensus on a full ban on Russian oil and gas imports but says that an agreement will be reached in the coming weeks.

Member states are discussing several options for sanctions on Russian oil and gas supplies, but there is no unanimity on any of them, according to High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell, as quoted by Le Figaro.

“As far as I know, at this time there is no proposal on the table regarding oil and gas. There are many considerations, many proposals that are studied,” Borrell said on Thursday.

According to French President Emmanuel Macron, the ban on imports of Russian oil and gas is not being considered at the moment.

This issue (of embargo on Russian gas and oil) may appear on a negotiating table, but not today. Negotiations on coal and oil are already underway, but not yet on gas,” Macron told the Italian Corriere Della Sera newspaper on Friday.

Earlier in the day, French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said that an embargo on oil imports from Russia may be imposed in the upcoming weeks, adding that there’s “resistance and concern” among EU members over the very idea of the ban.

“A ban on supply of oil from Russia is on the table … this issue may be resolved within weeks, but there is no exact date yet,” Le Maire said on Friday as quoted by the BFMTV broadcaster.