EU agrees ban on ‘more than two thirds’ of Russian oil imports

EU agrees ban on ‘more than two thirds’ of Russian oil imports

/ Europe























Issued on: 31/05/2022 - 00:03

















French President Emmanuel Macron attends the European Union leaders summit in Brussels, Belgium May 30, 2022. © Johanna Geron, Reuters











EU leaders on Monday backed a ban on most Russian oil imports, after a compromise deal with Hungary to punish Moscow for the war in Ukraine.









The 27-nation bloc has spent weeks haggling over a proposed total embargo on Russian oil but came up against stubborn resistance from Hungarian premier Viktor Orban.

EU leaders meeting in Brussels hatched a compromise deal to exempt deliveries by pipeline from the ban, after Budapest warned halting supplies would wreck its economy. 

"Agreement to ban export of Russian oil to the EU. This immediately covers more than two thirds of oil imports from Russia, cutting a huge source of financing for its war machine," European Council chief Charles Michel tweeted during the summit.  

"Maximum pressure on Russia to end the war."

The head of the EU's executive, Ursula von der Leyen, said the move "will effectively