The German government supports the plans of the European Union (EU) to impose an embargo on oil imports from Russia. During the latest preliminary talks on the sixth package of sanctions against Russia, Berlin spoke in favor of a ban, the DPA news agency reported, citing diplomatic sources in the EU.
Germany's Economy and Climate Minister Robert Habeck said Sunday that he expects his country can be fully independent of Russian crude oil imports by the end of summer.
In a statement, Habeck said that Germany, the largest European economy, had already reduced its share of Russian energy imports to 12% for oil, 8% for coal and 35% for natural gas.
“All these steps that we are taking require an enormous joint effort from all actors and they also mean costs that are felt by both the economy and consumers,” Habeck said in a statement. “But they are necessary if we no longer want to be blackmailed by Russia.”
