The EU has said it will impose sanctions against imports of Russian oil and gas “sooner or later” as it ramps up the pressure on Moscow.
Charles Michel, President of the European Council, confirmed that the bloc is banning imports of coal from Russia as part of a fifth wave of sanctions.
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He added: “I think that measures on oil, and even gas, will also be needed sooner or later.”
There’s been growing pressure on the EU to target Russia’s energy sector to stymie Putin’s war effort. But member states have been divided over the issue given Europe’s reliance on Moscow for around 40pc of its gas supplies.
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Josep Borrell, the EU’s foreign policy chief, has underlined why the bloc should sanction Russian energy imports.
He says the EU has handed €35bn (£29bn) to Putin in energy payments since the start of the year. That’s compared to just €1bn given to Ukraine for arms.
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