European Union leaders struggle to reach agreement on Russia oil ban

European Union leaders gathered yesterday in a new show of solidarity with Ukraine, but divisions over whether to target Russian oil in a new series of sanctions are exposing the limits of how far the bloc can go to help the war-torn country.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who addressed the bloc’s 27 leaders by video in the evening, has repeatedly demanded that the EU target Russia’s lucrative energy sector and deprive Moscow of billions of dollars each day in supply payments.

The EU gets about 40% of its natural gas and 25% of its oil from Russia, and Ukraine says those energy imports are funding Russia’s war on its neighbour.

But Hungary is leading a group of EU countries – along with Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Bulgaria – that rely on Russian oil and cannot afford to take such steps. Hungary gets more than 60% of its oil from Russia and 85% of its natural gas.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban was adamant upon his arrival in Brussels that a deal was not in sight, while Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala suggested that delaying oil sanctions on Russia could be a solution.

“We’re ready to get rid of our dependence on Russia’s energy sources... but we’re not able to do it in a short term,” Mr Fiala said.

A meeting of ambassadors just before the summit spurred some hope that a compromise could be reached.

According to an EU diplomat who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the negotiations, leaders will aim “to reach a political agreement today” for an embargo on Russian oil that would cover “more than twothird of oil imports from Russia, ie all seaborne oil from Russia”.

Mr Orban said he is ready to support the sixth round of sanctions if Hungary’s security of oil supplies is guaranteed. Hungary and Slovakia depend on Russian oil that comes through the Soviet-era Druzhba pipeline.

“We’re ready to get rid of our dependence... but we’re not able to do it in a short term