President Joe Biden is consulting with other nations about additional sanctions on Russia, he told reporters Wednesday.
“We’re always open to additional sanctions,” Biden said. “I’ll be speaking with members of the G7 this week about what we’re going to do or not do.”
The European Union’s top official on Wednesday proposed a phase-out of oil imports from Russia while also targeting the country’s biggest bank and major broadcasters. The sanctions would have to be approved by all 27 member countries.
This sixth package of penalties has already drawn dissent from Hungary and Slovakia, but they are likely to be granted exemptions from the oil ban, which might pave the way for the necessary unanimous approval. Russia provides the EU with about 25% of its oil, and fierce debate in expected across many countries.
"We now propose a ban on Russian oil. Let´s be clear: It will not be easy," said EU President Ursula von der Leyen. "But we simply have to work on it. We will make sure that we phase out Russian oil in an orderly fashion to maximize pressure on Russia while minimizing the impact on our economies."
-- Maureen Groppe
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