The United States and the European Union are "actively discussing" the possibility of banning imports of Russian oil, in response to the invasion of Ukraine, U.S. diplomatic chief Anthony Blinken said today.
"We are talking with our European partners and allies to consider, in a coordinated way, the idea of banning imports of Russian oil, while ensuring that there are sufficient supplies on world markets," Blinken told CNN."
US President Joe Biden's administration is under political pressure to expand sanctions against Russia, particularly in the energy sector. So far, this sector has not been particularly affected by the measures imposed by the West to avoid destabilising the markets. US senators, Democrats and Republicans, introduced a bill on Thursday aimed at banning imports. Biden had said the day before that he was "not ruling anything out" on this issue.
When asked today by CNN, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen appeared more cautious. Saying that the goal is "to make it impossible for Putin to finance his wars," she noted that the European Union should wean itself off Russian fossil fuels. "We are therefore discussing in the EU a strategic approach to increase investment in renewable energy and diversify our energy supply," he said, without mentioning the ban on importing Russian hydrocarbons.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, when asked about the purchase of Russian oil by British giant Shell, replied, "Stop buying Russian oil."
"Today, Russian oil and gas smell of Ukrainian blood," he said, urging "all Western companies to leave Russia" for "humanitarian" reasons."
Source: Proto Thema
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