German Economy Minister Robert Habeck said on Monday that a number of EU countries are not as far along as Germany in terms of becoming independent from oil.
- We do not want to trigger an economic catastrophe, he said in a statement on Monday, referring to reports that Berlin wants an EU embargo on oil from Russia.
The statement comes after the German news agency dpa reported on Sunday that the German government has decided that it will support an import ban on Russian oil, making an EU-wide embargo more likely. The Hungarian government responded on Monday morning with a clear statement that the country is still opposed to any EU embargo on imports of Russian oil and gas.
Habeck said on Monday that the EU is not yet ready for a boycott of Russian gas, but he stressed that Germany is preparing for all scenarios.
- We must all understand that the time for cheap fossil fuels is over, he says.
Many are opposed to the embargo
The EU has already introduced a ban on imports of coal from Russia. But supplies of oil and gas are more difficult to replace, and discussions about further sanctions continue in European capitals.
In addition to Hungary, Austria, Slovakia, Spain, Italy and Greece are seen as opponents of an oil embargo against Russia, according to dpa.
The background to the German change of position in relation to an embargo against oil and gas from Russia is believed to be that Germany has recently been successful in finding alternative suppliers of oil.
Last week, the German economy minister said that Germany has reduced its dependence on Russian oil. From 35 percent before the invasion of Ukraine to 12 percent in the space of eight weeks.
Ritzau / Reuters
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