• Ursula von der Leyen unveils complete import ban on all Russian oil, seaborne and pipeline, crude and refined
The European Commission's president, Ursula von der Leyen has asked the bloc's 27 countries to restrict crude oil imports within six months and refined oil products by the end of the year. This came in the sixth round of sanctions on Russia.
"We will phase out Russian supply of crude oil within six months and refined products by the end of the year," Ursula von der Leyen told the European Parliament.
“Let us be clear: it will not be easy. Some Member States are strongly dependent on Russian oil. But we simply have to work on it,” von der Leyen said. “This will be a complete import ban on all Russian oil, seaborne, and pipeline, crude and refined.”
Members of Parliament hailed her announcement with cheers, indicating that, while it is tough to implement and possibly costly to Europeans as well.
Ursula von der Leyen also proposed Sberbank, Russia's largest bank, and two other significant banks will be cut off from the SWIFT international financial payment system
“We are depriving the Russian economy from its ability to diversify and modernize. Putin wanted to wipe Ukraine from the map. He will not succeed,” von der Leyen said.
“We want Ukraine to win this war,” she added.
Picture credits: AP
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