Ukraine: the European Parliament calls for an "immediate" embargo on Russian gas, oil and coal

Europe 1 with AFP 2:47 p.m., April 07, 2022

The European Parliament called in a resolution adopted Thursday for the imposition of a "total and immediate" embargo on imports of "oil, nuclear fuel coal and gas" from Russia.

The resolution was voted by 513 MEPs (22 votes against, 19 abstentions).

"This is a very important moment and a significant step. Parliament's position is clear and sends the strongest messages of support to those on the front line", commented the president of the institution, Roberta Metsola, after the vote on this non-binding resolution.

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Increased penalties

The European Commission proposed Tuesday to the Twenty-Seven to increase the sanctions by stopping the purchases of Russian coal, which represent 45% of the total imports of coal of the EU, and by closing the European ports to the Russian ships.

The modalities of this 5th set of sanctions are currently being discussed between the representatives of the Member States.

Parliament is therefore demanding to go further, but a possible embargo on Russian oil (25% of total European oil imports) and Russian gas (45% of the total) is the subject of bitter discussions between the Member States members, Berlin having publicly expressed its reluctance.

The subject is to be discussed on Monday at the meeting of European foreign ministers.

With this resolution, MEPs also ask "to intensify arms deliveries to Ukraine", which Dmytro Kouleba, the Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs, again demanded on Thursday during a trip to NATO headquarters. in Brussels.

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One billion euros to supply arms to kyiv

So far, the 27 have agreed on an envelope of one billion euros to supply armaments to kyiv.

"It may seem like a lot, but a billion euros is what we pay Putin every day for the energy he provides us," said Josep Borrell, the head of European diplomacy, on Wednesday.

Parliament also called on the EU to cut off Russian banks' access to the Swift international financial system (7 establishments are currently deprived of access) and to ban the road and sea transport of goods to Russia.

He demanded that "all necessary measures" be taken so that "the acts of Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko", the Belarusian president, "be prosecuted as war crimes and crimes against humanity".

MEPs also spoke out in favor of the creation of a “Marshall Plan-like fund” to rebuild Ukraine after the war.