France trying to convince EU to impose embargo on Russian oil
Apr 19, 2022
Paris [France], April 19 (ANI/Sputnik): France is trying to convince its EU partners to impose an embargo on oil supplies from Russia to undermine its ability to finance its special military operation in Ukraine despite the spike in energy and food prices worldwide, French Minister of Economy and Finance Bruno Le Maire said on Tuesday.
Earlier in April, French President Emmanuel Macron urged the European Union to restrict oil and coal supplies from Russia.
"In light of what is happening now in Donbas, the stoppage of oil supplies from Russia is necessary more than ever. This is what we are preparing. The French president has made it clear that we are trying to convince our European partners of this to cut off supplies of Russian oil, since the stoppage of oil supplies will undermine the financing of the war in Ukraine," Le Maire told French radio station Europe 1.
On February 24, Russia launched its special military operation in Ukraine after the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Luhansk appealed for help in defending themselves against Ukrainian forces. Western countries responded by imposing comprehensive sanctions against Russia, which has resulted in a spike in fuel and food prices around the world and disrupted supply chains.
The European Union has also vowed to reduce its dependency on Russian energy. On April 8, the bloc announced the fifth package of anti-Russian sanctions, which included a ban on imports of coal and other solid fossil fuels that serve as important sources of revenue for Russia. (ANI/Sputnik)
