As the next step in the sanctions against Russia, an import ban on Russian oil is under discussion. However, the interests in the USA and Europe are different.
According to the White House, US President Joe Biden has not yet decided on an import ban on oil from Russia in response to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.
“These discussions are ongoing internally and also with our colleagues and partners in Europe and around the world,” White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said at the White House on Monday. Biden spoke to Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson during his video call on Monday.
Psaki pointed out that European countries are significantly more dependent on Russian crude oil than the USA. Last year, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA), Russia was the third most important country for US imports of crude oil and petroleum products – behind Canada and Mexico. Imports from Russia, at 672,000 barrels (159 liters each) per day, accounted for almost eight percent of all US imports in this category.
Germany ranked 10th in mineral oil consumption in 2020 with 93.7 million tons, overall it was the sixth largest importer in the world. It is already known that in 2021 more than a third of German oil imports came from Russia. In the previous year, Russia was the second largest oil exporter in the world: around 232 million tons corresponded to around two-thirds of the amount sold internationally by the world market leader Saudi Arabia.
The war in Ukraine had put pressure on the US government to add a ban on Russian oil to the existing sanctions. However, the government is concerned about gasoline prices, which have been exacerbated by the war. Last Sunday (March 6), the price of a gallon (almost 3.8 liters) of regular gasoline on the national average rose to more than four dollars (3.68 euros) for the first time since 2008. Psaki stressed that Biden is doing everything in his power to reduce the impact on Americans.
Scholz continues to rely on Russian energy imports
According to Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Germany continues to rely on energy imports from Russia. “There is currently no other way of securing Europe’s supply of energy for heating, for mobility, for power supply and for industry,” said the SPD politician on Monday. Energy from Russia is of essential importance for the daily life of the citizens. Therefore, Europe deliberately excluded energy supplies from the sanctions against Russia because of the Ukraine war.
Alternatives to Russian energy are being worked on, but that will take some time, said Scholz. “It is therefore a conscious decision on our part to continue the activities of commercial companies in the field of energy supply with Russia.”
Government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said in Berlin that the EU, in close consultation with the US and Great Britain, had imposed very, very far-reaching sanctions against Russia. About a third of the oil used in Germany comes from Russia: “It’s not easy to replace it overnight.”
Sanctions should have a long-term effect
Nevertheless, the federal government is keeping a very close eye on further developments. An embargo would have to be decided at EU level, it is not generally ruled out. The goal of the federal government is to reduce dependence on Russia for energy imports. But this takes years to decades, and it is difficult in the short term.
A spokesman for the Federal Foreign Office said, with a view to the sanctions packages decided against Russia, that the pressure works over the “timeline”. Discussions were being held as to how the pressure could be increased.
Hebestreit said the situation in Ukraine was terrible. He again urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to halt the invasion, withdraw troops and cease hostilities.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelesnkyj had called for further and tougher sanctions against Russia because of the continued Russian attacks on his country. A boycott of Russian exports is necessary, and with it the renunciation of oil and natural gas from Russia, said Selenskyj in a video clip published on Monday.
Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) had already spoken out against a ban on energy imports from Russia in view of the Ukraine war. Germany is currently still dependent on imports – even if you try to change that as soon as possible. Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP) also rejected an embargo on Russian oil and gas.
Poll: majority for embargo
According to a representative survey by the opinion research institute
Yougov on behalf of the “Handelsblatt”, the majority of Germans are in favor of stopping oil and gas imports from Russia by western countries, even if this means their own
Security of supply is at risk. Accordingly, 54 percent of those surveyed support such a step. When asked, 30 percent said they were “completely” in favor, while 24 percent answered “I tend to agree”. According to the newspaper, 19 percent tend to reject the suspension, and another 17 percent are completely against it.
Source: Stern
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