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Irish, Lithuanian FMs call on EU for oil embargo on Russia

“The EU should step up sanctions on Russia to target its lucrative energy sector, the foreign ministers of Lithuania and Ireland said in Brussels on Monday. Despite four rounds of EU sanctions imposed over the past three weeks the Kremlin has not been moved to change course in Ukraine

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Trying to force a Russian military withdrawal from Ukraine, the EU and its Western allies have already imposed a panoply of sanctions including freezing the Russian central bank’s assets.

The humanitarian crisis in the port city of Mariupol, where residents have little food, water and power, is increasing pressure on European leaders to toughen sanctions on Moscow.

“Looking at the extent of the destruction in Ukraine right now, it is very hard to make the case that we should not be moving in on the energy sector, particularly oil and coal,” Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said as he arrived at a meeting of EU foreign and defence ministers.

“It is unavoidable we start talking about the energy sector, and we can definitely talk about oil because it is the biggest revenue to Russia’s budget,” Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said.

“We cannot get tired of imposing sanctions, we cannot get tired of bringing assistance and help to Ukraine,” he stressed, pointing out that the credibility of the West was on the line.

Kremlin continues its aggression despite sanctions

Despite four rounds of EU sanctions imposed over the past three weeks the Kremlin has not been moved to change course in Ukraine. There have been 685 sanctions placed on Russians and Belarusians and on Russian finance and trade.

A fifth round of sanctions will include adding more names to the EU blacklists. But the economically toughest choice is whether to target Russian oil, as the US and Britain have done, given the 27-nation EU’s dependence on Russia in the matter.

Moscow has warned that EU sanctions on Russian oil could prompt it to close a gas pipeline to Europe.

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