German chancellor Olaf Scholz has rejected a proposed European embargo on Russian oil imports, preferring to focus on “sustainable” pressure on Moscow that would not impose too heavy a burden on Germans.
“All our steps are designed to hit Russia hard, and be sustainable over the long term,” Scholz said in a statement on Monday. “At the moment, Europe’s supply of energy for heat generation, mobility, power supply and industry cannot be secured in any other way. It is therefore of essential importance for the provision of public services and the daily lives of our citizens.”
Russian energy has so far been exempt from sanctions, but the US has been exploring with its European allies the possibility of an embargo on Russia’s oil.
Europe’s largest economy, Germany is dependent on Russia for imports of more than 55 per cent of its gas, half of its coal and 35 per cent of its oil.