German lawmakers call for EU ban on Russian oil after Ukraine visit

div classBodysc17zpet90 cdBBJodivpBERLIN Reuters – The European Union should impose an embargo on Russian oil as soon as possible, the chairmen of three parliamentarian committees said on Tuesday after a visit to Ukraine.p

pThe EU is drafting proposals for an oil embargo on Russia although there was no agreement to ban Russian crude. EU diplomats said Berlin, which is heavily reliant on Russian oil, is not actively supporting an immediate embargo.pdivdivdiv classBodysc17zpet90 cdBBJodiv

pGermanys government expects to be able to phase out Russian oil by the end of the year.p

pGerman Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael Roth on Tuesday said cutting Russian oil would be a very important signal because it would affect Russias main source of income.p

pA quick EU decision could be combined with a transition phase like the import ban on Russian coal, which will come into effect from midAugust after EU ambassadors agreed on it last week, Roth said.p

pRoths comments come after visiting western Ukraine on Tuesday with two parliamentarian committees heads from the ruling coalition parties. p

p“It can be done within a few weeks because there are other suppliers,” said Anton Hofreiter, the head of the Bundestags Europes Committee, adding that phaseout period to implement a ban on Russian coal was too long.p

p

pp Reporting by Andreas Rinke Writing by Riham Alkousaa Editing by Bill Berkrotp

divdivdiv classBodysc17zpet90 cdBBJodivdivdiv