von der Leyen: ‘Future of Europe written in Ukraine’
In a 4 May speech, EU President Ursula von der Leyen has outlined the contents of the sixth sanctions package against Russia. However, it appears that the EU’s stated intention to ban the import of Russian oil will be difficult to realise, given that at least one Member State, Hungary, has said that it would use its veto to prevent it.
In her speech announcing the package – which she linked with the imminent 72nd birthday of the European Union – von der Leyen said that Vladimir Putin ‘must pay a high price for his brutal aggression,’ and that ‘the future of the European Union is…written in Ukraine.’
As regards sanctions, von der Leyen said the EU would be designating ‘high-ranking military officers and other individuals who committed war crimes in Bucha and who are responsible for the inhuman siege of the city of Mariupol.’ This, she said, sent ‘another important signal to all perpetrators of the Kremlin’s war: We know who you are, and you will be held accountable.’
Other measures that she said the EU would take include ‘de-SWIFT[ing] Sberbank – by far Russia’s largest bank, and two other major banks,’ and thus hitting ‘banks that are systemically critical to the Russian financial system and Putin’s ability to wage destruction’ and solidifying ‘the complete isolation of the Russian financial sector from the global system.’
And she said, ‘three big Russian state-owned broadcasters’ would be ‘banned from our airwaves’, and no longer allowed to broadcast in the EU, ‘in whatever shape or form, be it on cable, via satellite, on the internet or via smartphone apps.’
She added that the EU would also be banning the provision of the services of EU ‘accountants, consultants, and spin doctors’ to Russian companies.
The most closely observed element of the package – a potential ban on oil imports – von der Leyen saved for last. ‘When the [EU Member State heads of state] met in Versailles, they agreed to phase out our dependency on Russian energy. In the last sanction package, we started with coal. Now we are addressing our dependency on Russian oil.’
‘Let us be clear: it will not be easy,’ she said. ‘Some Member States are strongly dependent on Russian oil. But we simply have to work on it. We now propose a ban on Russian oil. This will be a complete import ban on all Russian oil, seaborne and pipeline, crude and refined. We will make sure that we phase out Russian oil in an orderly fashion, in a way that allows us and our partners to secure alternative supply routes and minimises the impact on global markets. This is why we will phase out Russian supply of crude oil within six months and refined products by the end of the year. Thus, we maximise pressure on Russia, while at the same time minimising collateral damage to us and our partners around the globe. Because to help Ukraine, our own economy has to remain strong.’
‘Putin wanted to wipe Ukraine from the map. He will clearly not succeed. On the contrary: Ukraine has risen up in unity. And it is his own country, Russia, he is sinking,’ she said.
Hungary is among EU Member States concerned about the impact of the ban, with foreign minister Péter Szijjártó, writing that ‘In its current form the Brussels sanctions package cannot be supported, we cannot responsibly vote for it. Hungary could only agree with these sanctions if pipeline imports of crude oil would be exempt from the restrictions. Then Hungary’s energy security could be maintained. Now it cannot.’
