EC position unfazed by UK, US easing of Russian energy sanctions

The European Commission has said it does not intend to relax sanctions on Russian energy, despite some key G7 partners moving in the opposite direction.

Chief spokesperson Paula Pinho reiterated the EU’s position while speaking to reporters on May 20, Caliber.Az reports, citing Euractiv.

“We remain committed to our sanctions on imports of Russian oil and gas,” she said, although a long-promised full ban on Russian crude imports has yet to be implemented

Her comments came in light of Washington’s decision this week to renew a waiver on certain Russian crude oil sanctions. The next day, the United Kingdom followed suit by allowing imports of jet fuel and diesel derived from Russian crude.

Asked whether the EU might follow the US and UK in easing restrictions if an energy shock linked to the US–Israel–Iran tensions were to deepen, the Commission spokesperson responded: “We’ll see what the future brings[…] we have not hesitated in standing by a number of sanctions.”

As the article recalls, the EU’s planned legislative proposal to ban all Russian oil imports was initially expected in late 2025, then repeatedly postponed — most recently to April 15 — before ultimately being dropped from the Commission’s provisional agenda.

By Nazrin Sadigova