France: EU Cannot Impose Total Ban on Russian Oil & Gas Imports

A French minister said that the EU cannot impose a total ban on its imports of Russia’s gas and oil, as the US did.

Barbara Pompili, the Minister for the Ecological Transition of France, whose country currently holds the rotating presidency of the European Union (EU), said during a visit to New York that the 27 countries will take “very strong measures.”

“From now till the end of the year, we have to dispense with two-thirds of our imports of Russian gas,” she added.

The Minister stressed “the extent of what it means given our current dependence on Russian gas.” “US President Joe Biden himself said the situation in Europe and the United States cannot be compared, and he has no intention to ask us to make a decision of the kind,” she said.

On Tuesday, Biden announced a ban on US imports of Russian fuel, while Britain pledged to do so by the end of the year.

Russian oil represents only 8% of US imports of black gold, while Russian gas is not imported by the US at all.

Contributed by: Israa Farhan