The European Commission is proposing a ban on Russian coal, but not oil or gas, as part of a new package of sanctions in response to possible war crimes in Bucha, Ukraine.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the latest package of sanctions was aimed at banning Russian coal imports, imposing sanctions on four Russian banks and banning Russian ships from European Union ports, among other measures. The proposal will be discussed by EU ambassadors on Wednesday.
“These atrocities cannot and will not go unanswered,” von der Layen said. “It’s important to keep up the pressure [Russian President Vladimir] Putin and the Russian government at this crucial moment. “
The package does not meet the demands for an embargo on Russian oil or natural gas and is unlikely to silence calls on the EU to do more.
“To prevent a new Buchas, impose all sanctions on the mother: stop buying oil, gas and coal from Russia,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba tweeted on Tuesday. “Stop funding Putin’s military machine.
This is the EU’s first move to block Russian energy imports since the invasion. The reason the commission proposed coal, not oil or gas, “is probably the easiest to change,” said Simone Taliapietra, a senior fellow at the Brussels-based Bruegel think tank.
The EU is already pushing for the phasing out of coal in order to meet its climate change goals.
In 2020, the bloc imported just under 20 percent of its coal from Russia, compared to about 35 percent of oil and 40 percent of natural gas, according to the EU’s statistical office.
“Every day the EU imports about 15 million euros from Russia [$16.38 million] coal, about 400 million euros [$436.84 million] gas and 450 million euros [$491.44 million] oil, “said Taliapietra. “The coal ban will not hit Russia.
Von der Layen suggested on Tuesday that oil could be next, but did not propose a specific plan or timetable. “We are working on additional sanctions, including oil imports,” she said.
The commission said Tuesday that a ban on coal imports from Russia would cost the country $ 4 billion a year, cutting “another important source of revenue for Russia.” However, some countries may insist on easing the plan, preferring to phase out Russian coal.
The Bucha massacre is testing Europe’s red lines on Russian energy
In addition to coal, the package aims to “weaken Russia’s financial system” by disrupting four banks and imposing bans on exports of items such as quantum computers and modern semiconductors to “continue to degrade Russia’s technological base and industrial capacity.” “, According to a declaration.
The Commission’s proposal also seeks to block most Russian ships and trucks from the EU in order to “drastically limit the ability of Russian industry to receive key goods”. There will be additional sanctions for individuals, although they have not yet been named.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine, the EU has been working with the United States and others to crack down on sanctions aimed at isolating Moscow and weakening military efforts.
Although the next round of sanctions has been in place for some time, reports of possible war crimes have prompted the EU to move forward in the energy field, starting with coal.
“Today we are proposing more sanctions for further mutilation of Putin’s military machine after the atrocities committed by the Russian armed forces in Bucha and other places under Russian occupation in Ukraine,” said Josep Borel, a senior EU diplomat.
The EU is united in its outrage at the obvious Russian atrocities in Ukraine, but is deeply divided on what to do next, especially when it comes to energy.
Ukrainian and some EU leaders have called for the bloc to impose a full embargo, but the EU’s major economies have withdrawn, arguing that the price for Europe would be too high.
The horrific footage from Bucha increased the pressure for action. French President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday that indications of “war crimes” in Ukraine call for new sanctions. The Elysee Palace later said France would support the embargo on Russian oil and coal, not natural gas.
Neither Germany nor Austria want a gas embargo. Austrian Finance Minister Magnus Bruner said on Monday that the EU must “keep its cool” despite the actions in Bucha. Sanctions, he said, “should not affect us more than Russia.”
“That is why we, together with Germany, are very reluctant about the gas embargo,” he said.
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said the commission’s latest proposal “is not really an adequate package of sanctions for the mass killings that are being uncovered.”
“The weak response is just an invitation to more atrocities,” he tweeted on Tuesday. “It can and should be stronger.”
correction
In a previous version of this article, Simone Taliapietra’s first name was misspelled. The article has been corrected.
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