Tense summit in Brussels: Borrell expects EU ban on Russian oil

SARAJevo, (Patria) - The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Policy, Josep Borrell, expressed full hope for reaching an agreement on banning Russian oil, on the eve of the two-day summit in Brussels, where the leaders of 27 countries will meet to ensure support for Kyiv as Russian forces continue their attacks in eastern Ukraine.

EU member states should be able to reach an agreement on a new package of sanctions against Russia, including imposing restrictions on the import of Russian oil, Borrell believes.

"I think we will be able to offer the heads of member states an agreement this afternoon," Borrell told France Info, Reuters reports. According to the report, a new round of talks on banning the import of Russian oil will also be held during the summit.

"We must decide unanimously. There were difficult talks yesterday afternoon, as well as this morning," said the head of EU diplomacy.

According to Reuters, EU leaders are expected to agree at the summit that the sanctions package in preparation should include an embargo on the import of Russian oil as punishment for Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, but that crude oil supplies through pipelines will be excluded.

"The European Council agrees that the sixth package of sanctions against Russia will cover crude oil, as well as petroleum products, supplied from Russia to member states, with a temporary exception for crude oil supplied by pipeline," according to the latest draft conclusions seen by Reuters.

The two-day summit of the Union, which comes at a time when German Economy Minister Robert Habeck expressed fears that the bloc's unity is "starting to crumble", is expected to reiterate the bloc's commitment to aiding Ukraine's defense efforts and continuing to send weapons and finances to Kyiv.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to address the summit to pressure EU leaders to impose a new round of economic sanctions against Russia to put additional pressure on Moscow to end the war.

Ambassadors failed to agree on Sunday on a proposal to ban the supply of Russian oil to EU countries by sea by the end of this year, but to exclude oil delivered by pipeline supplying landlocked Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic.

The Commission had previously proposed a ban on the import of all Russian crude oil for six months, but Hungary blocked the measure. This discussion is expected to be reopened at the summit, including proposals to end Russian oil exports within five years.

The most tangible outcome of the summit will be an agreement on an EU loan package worth nine billion euros with a grant component to cover part of the interest, so that Ukraine can continue to operate and pay salaries for about two months.