Plans for a full European oil embargo against Russia are off the table for the time being because of a blockade by Hungary.

At a summit meeting in Brussels on Monday evening, it became apparent that the 27 EU states would – if at all – decide only on a limited ban on Russian oil imports in the next few days.

Accordingly, only deliveries by sea would be prevented.

However, procurement via pipeline would still be possible.

Hungary could thus continue to be supplied overland via the huge Druzhba pipeline.

The EU Commission, under its President Ursula von der Leyen, proposed this compromise in view of the previous blockade from Budapest shortly before the summit on Russia's war against Ukraine.

Hungary's right-wing head of government Viktor Orban welcomed this, but made new demands.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed incomprehension about the EU's hesitant approach to the new sanctions package.

"Why can Russia still earn almost a billion euros a day selling energy?" asked Zelenskyj, who was connected via video.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) said of the latest developments: "Everything I hear sounds as if there could be a consensus.

At the same time, he made it clear that Germany, like Poland, does not want to benefit from the exception for pipeline oil.

EU Council President Charles Michel and other summit participants were also optimistic that a compromise could be reached after weeks of dispute.

According to Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, despite the exemption, the embargo would help cut Russian oil sales to the EU by around 90 percent.

Hungary's Prime Minister Orban described the compromise proposal as a good approach - but at the same time made demands again.

He demanded guarantees if, for example, pipeline oil could no longer be delivered to his country due to an accident.

Then Hungary must have the right to obtain oil by sea.

In addition, Hungary demanded financial commitments for the conversion of its oil infrastructure.

The government in Budapest put the cost of converting refineries to non-Russian oil at up to 550 million euros.

In addition, 200 million would have to be invested in order to supply the country in the future via a pipeline that begins on the Adriatic coast.

In addition to Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic could also benefit from the exception.

In addition to Germany and Poland, these are the other two EU countries that are still attached to the Druzhba line.

The Commission's original proposal was to completely stop imports of Russian crude oil in six months and oil products in eight months because of the Ukraine war.

Only Hungary and Slovakia should be given 20 months.

At the summit, heads of state and government from eastern EU countries in particular called for a final agreement to be reached as quickly as possible.

They referred to the importance of the sanctions for Ukraine.

"As long as Ukraine hasn't won this war, we haven't done enough," warned Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas.

Latvia's Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins said the aim was to isolate the Russian economy and make it even more difficult for Russia to fund its war machine.

The agreement on the oil embargo is also relevant because it is part of a whole package of sanctions that has also been on hold for weeks because of the blockade in Hungary.

In addition to the oil embargo, it also provides for the exclusion of the largest Russian bank, Sberbank, from the Swift financial communications network.

In addition, Russia's state television news channel Russia 24 (Rossiya 24) and the state broadcasters RTR Planeta and TV Center are to be banned in the EU.

Ideally, the formal sanctions decision could be made in a few days.

It must be taken by written procedure or by a Council of Ministers.

Topics at the EU summit, which lasts until this Tuesday, are measures against the very high energy prices, further support for Ukraine and EU cooperation in the area of ​​security and defense.

After Zelenskyj's speech, EU Council President Michel announced that the EU would continue to strengthen Ukraine's defense capabilities and help with reconstruction.

In addition, the Belgian held out the prospect of new funds to maintain the country's solvency.