Emmanuel Macron satisfied with the agreement reached in the EU on Russian oil

French President Emmanuel Macron speaks to the media on the second day of a European Union leaders' summit, as EU leaders try to agree on Russian oil sanctions in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, in Brussels, May 31, 2022. REUTERS - JOHANNA GERON

Text by: Valérie Gas Follow

1 min

Emmanuel Macron waited for the end of the extraordinary summit of the European Council devoted mainly to the consequences of the war in Ukraine, meeting Monday and Tuesday in Brussels, to express himself.

The French president was satisfied with the agreement reached between the Europeans to decide on new sanctions against Russia.

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For Emmanuel Macron, the Brussels summit achieved its objective: to find an agreement on the sixth package of European sanctions against Russia including an embargo on around 90% of oil imports.

The French president sees this as the result of a form of voluntarism:

“ 

Two months ago, no one thought sanctions on Russian oil could be envisaged.

This is why this sixth package is historic.

 »

Historical, despite the exemptions enjoyed by certain States particularly dependent on Russian oil such as Hungary... whose scope Emmanuel Macron justifies and minimizes:

“ 

The exemption measures that have been decided, they have been for the States whose refineries cannot be converted too quickly and which do not have access to the sea, with a time limit of 18 to 24 months. 

»

Emmanuel Macron wants to see this agreement as a step and refuses to close the door to new initiatives: “

I think that nothing should be ruled out for the coming weeks, everything depends on the evolution of the situation on the ground. 

»

In parallel with the sanctions, the Europeans have also tried to find a solution to lift the blockade of Odessa and allow the export of blocked Ukrainian wheat in order to avoid the worsening of the world food crisis.

Emmanuel Macron said he proposed to Vladimir Putin the vote of a United Nations resolution to give a framework to these operations and not to jeopardize the security of Ukraine... Objective: to mobilize all interlocutors to obtain guarantees from the Russia.

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  • Emmanuel Macron

  • France

  • European Union

  • Ukraine

  • Russia

  • Oil

  • Energies