EU leaders have struck a deal to ban most Russian oil imports as they seek to deprive Russia’s president Vladimir Putin of revenues to fund his war in Ukraine.
The embargo, which was agreed after weeks of difficult negotiations, will include oil and petroleum products but contains a temporary exemption for oil delivered from Russia by pipeline. This was intended to grant Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic extra time to wean themselves off crude oil supplies from Russia.
The agreement signed late on Monday night paved the way for the EU to enact a heavily delayed sixth package of sanctions, which includes measures to hit Russian banks and individuals.