Cyprus, Malta want Russian sanctions Exemption from Oil Ban
ATHENS – The united front of the European Union sanctions against Russia for the invasion of Ukraine which was being reduced with exceptions for Hungary and Slovakia is now further diminishing with Cyprus, Greece and Malta object to planned ban on Russian oil transportation.
Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades, who was already shaken by the need to go along with a ban on Russian airlines that keeps out a major Russian tourist market, said Cyprus, Malta and Greece must stay. benefit from dealing with Russia while saying they support sanctions. .
Plans call for a ban on buying and ban the EU-based shipping industry from handling Russian oil, Reuters said, but all three countries have the largest shipping fleets in the world. block – that of Greece is the largest in the world – and they want to keep Russian oil moving.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says it is producing blood money to help Russia kill civilians and a break from the ban further undermines Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ pledge of “full solidarity” with Ukraine. you are spending.
“It is necessary to take into account the concerns of Greece, Malta and of course Cyprus in specific issues related to sanctions,” Anastasiades told reporters in Athens.
Anastasiades, who previously met with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, said this was a “common position” of the two.
“It simply came to our notice then. We are against the Russian invasion and of course in favor of sanctions. But these sanctions must be targeted, not selective, to serve some member states and leave others exposed, “said Anastasiades – an argument that each of the 27 countries can use to defend their needs and wants and interests. its own financial resources, making sanctions essentially useless.
The EU has said it is ready to give in, suggesting a three-month transition before banning the bloc’s shipping services from transporting Russian oil instead of a month to accept objections from Greece, Cyprus and Malta.