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Added on the 09/03/2022 11:44:40 - Copyright : France 24 EN
EU chief Ursula von der Leyen says the EU will impose a gradual Russian oil ban, as Brussels unveils new sanctions to punish Russia for invading Ukraine. "We will make sure that we phase out Russian oil in an orderly fashion," says von der Leyen in speech to the European Parliament in Strasbourg. SOUNDBITE
The European Commission urges EU countries to reduce their demand for natural gas by 15 percent over the coming winter months to overcome Russia's energy supply "blackmail". SOUNDBITE
As he arrives at a summit of EU leaders, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban warns that the bloc has yet to come up with a compromise that could see him back an embargo on Russian oil. European diplomats have drafted a statement proposing that Hungary receive a temporary exemption from the ban, and hope it will be adopted at the two-day Brussels meeting. SOUNDBITE
In Luxembourg, German Finance Minister Christian Lindner says it is not yet possible for the EU to cut Russian gas imports as a sanction against Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. SOUNDBITE
British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss calls on the entire G7 to ban Russia oil imports, saying the world's leading economies should "go further and faster" in punishing Moscow and President Vladimir Putin for invading Ukraine. "We must double down on our sanctions," the top British diplomat says at the US State Department alongside Secretary of State Antony Blinken. SOUNDBITE
Oil prices have jumped over 3 percent to their highest since October 2015. As Sonia Legg reports, it follows growing Nigerian oil output disruptions and long-time bear Goldman Sachs saying the market had ended almost two years of oversupply.