The oil embargo is not part of the new EU sanctions package against Russia, but it will be discussed and it will happen, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell told reporters Thursday, April 7.
"Today I hope that the fifth package of sanctions will be finally approved by ambassadors and finally by written procedure by the EU Foreign Affairs Council," Borrell said.
"The oil embargo is not in the fifth sanctions package that will be discussed today, it is only a target. But (...) it will be discussed on Monday at the EU Foreign Affairs Council by ministers. And sooner or later, hopefully sooner, it will happen," said the head of EU diplomacy.
According to him, a fifth package of sanctions will be adopted no later than April 8.
On April 5, the EU announced the fifth package of sanctions against Russia in response to its war against Ukraine, the proposals for which included, among other things, an embargo on imports of Russian coal and new sanctions on one of the largest Russian banks - VTB. However, restrictive measures regarding, in particular, oil imports are still being worked on, said the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.
For his part, European Council President Charles Michel said that in his opinion, sanctions against Russian oil and gas "will be necessary sooner or later.
