Blinking: US and Europe discuss oil import ban | free press

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Washington.

According to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the US government is consulting with its European allies about a possible ban on imports of oil from Russia.

“We are now speaking with our European partners and allies to examine in a coordinated manner the prospect of a ban on Russian oil imports,” Blinken told CNN on Sunday. The debate is also about ensuring “that there is still an adequate supply of oil on the world markets. It’s a very active discussion as we speak.” Blinken joined the CNN program during his visit to Moldova.

Because of Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine, pressure is mounting on the US government to add a ban on Russian oil imports to the punitive measures already in place. US President Joe Biden has not explicitly ruled that out. However, the US government is concerned about the already high gasoline prices. At the end of last year, according to the US authorities, Russia was the fourth most important country for imports of crude oil and petroleum products – behind Canada, Mexico and Saudi Arabia. Imports from Russia accounted for almost 5 percent of all US imports in this category.

Heusgen calls for an embargo on Russian deliveries

The new chairman of the Munich Security Conference, Christoph Heusgen, has also called for an embargo on energy imports from Russia. “With the way Putin is proceeding, we should now also consider an embargo on oil and gas supplies,” Heusgen said on Sunday in the ARD “Europamagazin”. “What we could do, we should do.” He added: “Our country, the people who are very solidary with the Ukrainians, would also support it if it got a little colder in your room.”

According to Heusgen, he sees little chance of negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin. He repeatedly knocked out his outstretched hand. It is important “to show Putin that he is isolated,” Heusgen said.

Röttgen: Stop imports from Russia now

The CDU foreign politician Norbert Röttgen has called for a stop to energy imports from Russia. “We must do everything in our power to support the Ukrainians in their fight against Putin and for freedom,” wrote Röttgen in a guest article in the “Tagesspiegel” (Monday edition). He appealed to the federal government to stop gas and oil imports from Russia “now”. It is possible to replace the lack of gas supplies with gas reserves until next winter.

An import stop for oil and gas will probably be at the expense of other goals such as climate protection and the end of nuclear energy. “But for many Ukrainians it will be too late if we continue to hesitate,” explained Röttgen. “We have to pull out all the economic stops to hit Putin’s system as hard as possible from the inside and dry it out financially.”

Röttgen distinguishes himself from CDU leader Friedrich Merz with his demand. “We are currently not considering tightening the sanctions in the direction of our refraining from energy supplies from Russia,” Merz said on Saturday. “But we are open, if this war continues, if the atrocities against the civilian population should continue, that we would then have to resort to this remedy.”

CDU Vice Karin Prien agreed with Röttgen. Röttgen is right, said Schleswig-Holstein’s Minister of Education on Sunday evening. Russia’s gas and oil business must be stopped now. “And we should discuss that with our European partners and do it together,” said Prien.

In the “Münchner Merkur” (Monday), CSU Vice-President Manfred Weber called for the attacks on Ukraine to escalate further to become independent of energy from Russia. “We can replace oil and coal with other partners,” said Weber. “We should pull the ripcord if necessary. Cutting the gas lines would then be the next option.” (dpa)

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