Poland Proposes To Ban On Russian Oil Transit Through Belarus

• 19.04.2023, 16:21

All EU countries must agree to the introduction of new sanctions.

In April, Poland presented before the EU a proposal of new sanctions against Russia for waging war against Ukraine, according to Reuters citing the document. We are talking about a ban on oil transit through the northern branch of the Druzhba Pipeline. And this directly concerns Belarus.

The northern branch of the Druzhba Pipeline runs from Russia through the Belarusian Polesie to Poland and further to Germany. It ends in Rostock harbour city.

The Warsaw proposal also includes a ban on the import of Russian diamonds and natural gas, including LNG, and restrictions on EU nuclear energy cooperation with Russia.

Germany and Lithuania are also in favour of imposing sanctions on nuclear energy, however, being loyal to the countries such as Hungary and France that cooperate with Russia in this area.

However, EU members have not reached a final agreement on sanctions. Hungary has so far strongly opposed any sanctions on Russian nuclear power since last week it announced changes to its contract with Russia's Rosatom to expand the Paks nuclear power plant.

Belgium, home to Antwerp, the world's largest diamond trading hub, has so far successfully resisted a ban on Russian imports.

Warsaw's written proposal, which an EU diplomacy source said has been submitted to the European Commission, marks the first step towards approving another round of EU sanctions.

All 27 EU countries must agree to new sanctions. In the meantime, a senior EU official on Monday refused to comment on the possible terms of any new sanctions.