Washington wishes to keep fuel supplies stable globally despite sanctions against Russia

Washington has expressed its desire to maintain the stability of the world's fuel supply despite sanctions against Moscow, aimed at removing Russia from the position of the world's main exporter of energy resources.

"We are taking collective action (at the G-7 level) on Russian oil and gas exports, which rank first in Russian exports, because they help finance the Russian President Vladimir Putin war machine."

"We are talking about the main exports that are most important to the Russian economy, and the West is seeking to reduce Russia's status as a major exporter of energy resources."

"However, we want to keep the global energy supply at a stable level."

The European Union's permanent delegates failed to reach an agreement on banning Russian oil imports.

• The commissioners on this issue will continue on Thursday (05 May 2022), according to TASS news agency.

• Some European Union States, in particular Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic and Bulgaria, have expressed concern about proposed measures to phase out oil from Russia.

• Earlier today, the European Commission revealed details of the sixth package of sanctions the European Union intends to impose against Russia

•  and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the sixth package against Russia included a gradual ban on Russia's oil imports.

Hungary, for its part, expressed its rejection of the move and the Government of Hungary's spokesman, Zoltan Kovacs, said that his country was "not prepared to abandon energy security. This is not a political issue, but an energy security issue ".

The Czech Republic said it would support the European Union with a ban on the import of Russian oil, provided that it was given a transition period of two to three years.

Hungary rejects Russian oil ban and says: We are not ready to give up energy security

1. Commenting on the European Union's plans to ban oil supplies from Russia, Government of Hungary spokesman Zoltan Kovacs said his country was "not prepared to give up energy security."
2. The hirado.hu portal quoted Kovacs as saying: "We are not ready to abandon the country's energy security. 
3. This is not a political issue, but an energy security issue ".

Earlier, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, stated that the European Commission, as part of the sixth new package of sanctions against Russia, would propose a phased ban on all Russian oil imports to European Union States.

As Kovacs said in statements to Bloomberg in response to the European Commission's directions to ban Russian oil: "We do not see in the current proposal a guarantee of managing the situation, even if it is for a phased period, and nothing else (other than oil and gas from Russia) can guarantee energy security in Hungary."