BUT WILL THEY?

European Parliament Votes for EU to Cut Off Russian Oil, Coal, Nuclear Fuel and Gas

The European parliament voted overwhelmingly to start an immediate embargo on Russian energy, but many member states can’t live without it.

The European Parliament is urging all member states to immediately embargo all Russian energy imports and to more fully apply sanctions. On Thursday, 513 MEPs voted for the resolution measure with 22 voting against and 19 abstaining. The European Parliament does not have the power to force countries to comply, but even countries like Germany and Italy, which are especially dependent on Russian energy, have expressed a willingness to work towards cutting off Russia. The resolution included full bans on the import of Russian oil, coal, nuclear fuel and gas, which are currently flowing freely (and largely sanction-free) into the bloc. The parliament also called on G20 leaders and multinational organizations including UNHRC, Interpol, the World Trade Organization, UNESCO and others to cut Russia from membership, stating that doing so “would be an important sign that the international community will not return to business as usual with the aggressor state.”