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Robert Habeck last week in Leuna: hopes for strength that not every price will be paid
Photo: Jan Woitas / dpa
According to Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck, an oil embargo against Russia is "within reach".
There are only a few states that are reporting problems - especially Hungary, said the Vice Chancellor in the evening on ZDF's "Heute Journal".
But the Green politician also said: A European embargo does not automatically mean that the income of the Russian state would be weakened.
"So Putin has sold less oil in the last few weeks and had more income," Habeck said.
The reason is, of all things, the rise in oil prices as a result of the debate about the planned embargo.
As a result, it is conceivable that Russia might even be able to sell its oil at better prices elsewhere, despite the embargo.
In order to counteract this, the European Union and the USA want to enforce an upper limit for oil prices, according to Habeck.
In this way, Russia could be sanctioned and the price of oil caught, especially since the high prices for the raw material worldwide are a burden on the economy.
"There's the idea that people talk to each other and say we're not paying any price here anymore," says Habeck.
Decision at the EU summit at the end of May?
But such a step would only work if a large number of countries took part and Russia could not use other sales markets.
"The European Commission and the United States are working on this proposal," Habeck said of the plans.
However, India had recently even expanded its oil imports from Russia.
EU diplomats are assuming that a decision on the oil embargo will be made at the EU summit at the end of May.
Until then, the EU ambassadors should negotiate a compromise.
This could consist of granting Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic a longer transition period until the sanctions are fully implemented.
Hungary is demanding millions from the EU to compensate for the consequences of an oil embargo.
The sanctions must be decided unanimously by all 27 EU members.
The EU Commission has proposed to end imports of Russian crude oil in about six months because of the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine.
As a compromise, the Commission proposes giving Hungary more time.
The proposal does not go far enough for the government of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
Apr/Reuters/dpa
