In view of the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine, Germany also wants to reduce its energy supplies from Russia.

As a result, President Vladimir Putin's war chest should no longer be filled directly or indirectly.

The European Union is currently debating an oil embargo against Moscow.

What about the German share of oil from Russia?

The share of Russian oil in German oil consumption fell from 35 to 12 percent within a few weeks.

Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck (Greens) made this clear on Sunday in the new progress report on energy security.

Similarly, the trend for further energy supplies from Russia is pointing downwards.

Habeck also thinks an oil embargo is feasible.

The European Union's plans for this should soon become more concrete.

But one big hurdle remains: the operation of the important refinery in Schwedt, which supplies large parts of eastern Germany.

And the fear of another price shock for consumers and industry remains.

Will the EU decide on an oil embargo against Russia?

It looks very much like it.

After the atrocities in Ukrainian places like Bucha, the pressure on critical member states has increased.

According to information from the German Press Agency in Brussels, even the German government, which had been reluctant for a long time, is now supporting plans for an import ban on Russian oil.

Hungary, Austria and Slovakia, which are themselves very dependent on Russian oil, as well as Spain, Italy and Greece, which fear a further increase in energy prices, were also considered to be slowing things down.

The EU energy ministers want to meet in the afternoon and discuss an import ban in Brussels.

How far is Germany with the plans for a delivery stop?

Habeck does not yet see any commitment within the EU to an oil boycott against Russia.

"I don't know whether an oil embargo is pending overall," he said in Berlin on Monday.

Germany itself considers it manageable, but other countries are not ready yet.

You don't want to trigger economic catastrophes.

However, an immediate import stop would also have consequences for Germany.

That would trigger price jumps or supply bottlenecks.

Germany had given up its resistance after the share of Russian oil fell to almost twelve percent, according to Habeck.

He pointed to the problem that an embargo could trigger price jumps and thus result in Russia earning more despite fewer oil supplies.

"Then we traded in lemons," he said.

When could the oil embargo come?

According to dpa information, the EU Commission, led by Ursula von der Leyen, wants to present the draft for a new package of sanctions against Russia as soon as possible.

It is considered very likely that an oil embargo will be part of it.

Possible transition periods are open.

Since so many countries still have concerns, the proposal could be to allow imports of Russian oil until autumn or even into winter.

A conceivable alternative to the import ban is the EU's upper price limit for oil from Russia in order to cap its income.

According to estimates by the Bruegel think tank, Russian oil worth around 450 million euros was recently imported into the EU every day.

How dependent is Germany on Russian oil?

Of the German oil imports from Russia - according to Habeck, 35 percent of consumption in 2021 - so far about a third came by ship to West Germany and two thirds via the Druzhba pipeline to the refineries in Leuna in Saxony-Anhalt and Schwedt in Brandenburg .

The purchasers in the West were looking for new suppliers, says Habeck.

The Leuna operator Totalenergies also wants to replace Russian oil by the end of the year - if necessary faster, as the minister explains in a video message: "So the problem has been solved." The remaining twelve percent of Russian oil is attributable to Schwedt.

"The last third is the real problem," says Habeck.

Why isn't Schwedt looking for new suppliers?