The French parliamentary speaker in the European Council has proposed to ban russian oil in the sixth package of sanctions against russia, which is delivered by sea, amounting to 2/3 of all imports.
Interfax-Ukraine reports on this with reference to informed sources.
"The Presidency (France) presented a new package of documents. It is not excluded that Coreper will impose a ban on Russian oil delivered by ships, which accounts for 2/3 of imports," a spokesman said.
This proposal is expected to be discussed at the informal meeting of the Committee of Permanent Representatives (COREPER) to be held today in Brussels, followed by a formal meeting at 16:00.
If this proposal is approved, the EU leaders will be able to approve a sixth package of sanctions against Russia at a special EU summit on Monday.
Earlier Bloomberg also reported that the European Union proposes to prohibit only maritime transportation of oil from Russia and to suspend restrictions on imports from the key Druzhba oil pipeline in order to satisfy Hungary and reach agreement on the sixth package of sanctions.
The US also said it would ask European countries to impose tariffs on Russian oil as the best alternative to direct oil embargo.
The Russian oil embargo is part of the sixth EU sanctions package against Russia. The new sanctions were introduced back on May 4 . It was planned to suspend import of oil from Russia: crude oil - up to six months, refined oil - by the end of the year.
Hungary and its Prime Minister Viktor Orban have systematically opposed the implementation of anti-Russian energy sanctions. The Prime Minister said that the approval of the proposed sanctions package would require his country to make large-scale investments in alternative supplies and modernization of the Hungarian oil refining capacities.
Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said that the sanctions package could not be approved solely due to the position of Hungary.