The EC responds to Trump on Russian oil. “The Union has been withdrawing from shopping since the beginning of the war in Ukraine”

The European Union has been withdrawing from the purchases of Russian raw materials since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, and now it has a clearly defined plan and the deadline for the total departure from them – this is how the European Commission spokeswoman Paul Pinho has referred to the letter of the US President Donald Trump regarding the buying of Russian oil.

Trump informed on Saturday that he had sent a letter to all NATO countries and “around the world”, in which he declared that he was ready to impose strong sanctions on Russia, but provided that all alliance countries would cease to buy Russian oil. He also convinced to NATO imposing duties on China in the amount of 50 to 100 percent.

Trump's declaration coincides with the work of the EC on the 19th Sanction Package towards Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. On September 10, in the annual EU's state, the chairwoman of the EU Ursula von der Leyen said that the EC, as part of the new package, focuses on accelerating the departure from Russian fossil fuels, on the shadow fleet and third countries' participation.

Referring to the letter of the American President Pinho, she reminded that In June, the EC proposed a regulation introducing a total ban on the import of Russian gas at the end of 2027. The EC also wants the Member States to end with buying Russian oil at the same time.

The OLOF Gill spokesman for trade for trade stressed that the coordination of new restrictions on Russia with other partners, especially with the United States, is “crucial” that the sanctions are as effective as possible. He added that last week a team of EU experts led by the EU envy for sanction David O'Sullivan was in Washington to discuss these issues with his American counterparts. – This commitment will affect our further work – he noted.

According to Gill, the sanctions for Russia were also the subject of the conversation between Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis on Friday with the finance ministers of the G7 countries.

In the context of China, which help to supply Russia with the so -called double application, the spokesman reminded that The EC has already proposed to apply restrictions on entities registered in third countries. However, he added that sanctions require unanimity. “So it's not that we don't do anything about it,” he said.

As part of previous packages, the EC proposed restrictions, including On Chinese companies, but eventually Member States gave up it.

Gill also referred to the words of Trump, who assessed that EU sanctions were not strong enough. – In our opinion, these sanctions are effective. Economic data show that they have an impact on the Russian economy and we mean exactly this goal – he said.

From Brussels Magdalena Cedro (PAP)

MCE/ AP/