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world news Diamars 31 mei 2022

EU leaders, divided over Russia oil embargo, spy a solution

By LORNE COOK and could be reached and, sooner
SAMUEL PETREQUIN or later, it will be," Scholz
Associated Press told reporters.
BRUSSELS (AP) — Euro- Von der Leyen all but ruled
pean Union leaders gathered out the prospect of a break-
Monday in a new show of through at this week's sum-
solidarity with Ukraine, but mit, saying as she arrived "my
divisions over whether to tar- expectations are low that it
get Russian oil in a new series will be solved in the next 48
of sanctions exposed the lim- hours."
its of how far the bloc can go Latvian Prime Minister Kris-
to help the war-torn country. janis Karins urged his EU
Ukrainian President Volody- counterparts to get over their
myr Zelenskyy addressed the differences on oil, saying that
bloc's 27 leaders by video in member countries are "get-
a 10 minute-message and ting a little bogged down in
urged them to remain unit- all of the details and we're
ed and quickly adopt a new forgetting the big picture."
package of measures to stop "It's only money, and Ukrai-
the Kremlin's "war machine," nians are paying with their
according to a senior EU dip- lives," he said. "Only when
lomat. Russia is defeated can we in
Zelenskyy has repeatedly de- Europe feel safe."
manded that the EU target If leaders manage to adopt
Russia's lucrative energy sec- the sanctions, the package
tor and deprive Moscow of will also include an asset
billions of dollars each day freeze and travel ban on in-
in supply payments. The EU dividuals and Russia's biggest
gets about 40% of its natural bank, Sberbank, will be ex-
gas and 25% of its oil from Hungarian Prime Minister depend on Russian oil that possible compromise of hit- cluded from the major global
Russia, and Ukraine says Viktor Orban was adamant comes through the Soviet- ting sea-transported Rus- system for financial transfers.
those energy imports are upon his arrival in Brussels era Druzhba pipeline. sian oil is that countries like The EU has already banned
funding Russia's war on its that a deal was not in sight, The EU has already im- Belgium, Germany and the several smaller Russian banks
neighbor. while Czech Prime Minister posed five rounds of sanc- Netherlands that are most re- from SWIFT. Three big Rus-
But Hungary is leading a Petr Fiala suggested that de- tions on Russia over its war liant on that form would suf- sian state-owned broadcast-
group of EU countries — laying oil sanctions on Russia in Ukraine. The bloc has tar- fer a surge in oil prices, dis- ers will also be prevented
along with Slovakia, the could be a solution. geted more than 1,000 peo- torting competition because from distributing their con-
Czech Republic and Bulgaria "We're ready to get rid of our ple, including Russian Presi- Hungary would still be pur- tent in the EU.
— that rely heavily on Rus- dependence on Russia's en- dent Vladimir Putin and top chasing cheaper Russian oil. The two-day summit will
sian oil and can't afford to ergy sources … but we're not government officials, as well Orban said "the pipeline so- also focus on continued EU
take such steps. Hungary gets able to do it in a short term," as pro-Kremlin oligarchs, lution is not bad. It's a good financial support to Ukraine
more than 60% of its oil from Fiala said. banks, the coal sector and approach. But we need the — probably the endorsement
Russia and 85% of its natural A meeting of ambassadors just more. guarantee that in the case of of a 9 billion-euro ($9.7 bil-
gas. before the summit spurred A sixth package of sanc- an accident with the pipeline lion) tranche of assistance —
According to the diplomat, some hope that a compro- tions against Russia was an- rushing through Ukraine, and on military help and war
who spoke on condition of mise could be reached. nounced on May 4, but the we have to have the right to crimes investigations.
anonymity because of the According to several diplo- holdup over oil is embar- get Russian oil from other The issue of food security
sensitivity of the issue, Zel- mats, leaders will try to reach rassing the bloc, which has sources." will be on the table Tuesday,
enskyy reminded leaders of a deal for an EU embargo on been forced to scale down its German Chancellor Olaf with the leaders set to en-
the atrocities going on in his Russian seaborne oil by the ambitions. When European Scholz left open the possibil- courage their governments to
country, including the death end of the year that would Commission President Ur- ity of an EU agreement being speed up work on "solidarity
of civilians and children, tell- cover more than two-third of sula von der Leyen proposed struck at the summit, calling lanes" to help Ukraine export
ing them "it is crucial that oil imports from Russia. the package, the initial aim talks on the matter "good and grain and other produce.
sanctions are adopted as soon Orban said he is ready to was to phase out imports of constructive" and saying the Some protesters gathered
as possible." support the sixth round of crude oil within six months bloc is determined to remain outside EU buildings Mon-
But finding an agreement on sanctions if Hungary's secu- and refined products by the united. day before the summit, hold-
an EU oil embargo has so far rity of oil supplies is guaran- end of the year. "Everything that I hear makes ing signs like "No to Russian
proved to be a tall order. teed. Hungary and Slovakia The problem with the new it sound as if a consensus oil and gas."

Japan complains over Seoul marine survey in disputed waters

By YURI KAGEYAMA calls Dokdo. national law. Japanese-controlled islands calls Senkaku, which China
TOKYO (AP) — Japan Matsuno said Tokyo did not In 2017, Japan lodged a com- in the East China Sea that it also claims and calls Diaoyu.
lodged a complaint Monday receive any prior request plaint against South Korea
over a South Korean ship that from Seoul for such research. after the official website for
was conducting a marine sur- "We strongly demand this the Pyeongchang Olympic
vey in waters near Japanese- stop immediately," he said. Games referred to the islands
claimed islands controlled by He said the two sides held as Dokdo.
Seoul. talks about the incident but Japan and South Korea have
Government spokesperson both reiterated their previous rich cultural ties, but rela-
Hirokazu Matsuno said it claims to the territory. tions have been marred by
was "totally unacceptable" In Seoul, South Korea's For- bitter tensions over historical
that a South Korean research eign Ministry said it cannot issues such as Japan's coloni-
ship was spotted trailing what accept the Japanese com- zation of the Korean Penin-
appeared to be a cable near plaint. It called the survey a sula last century and its ac-
the islands, which Japan calls legitimate act conducted in tions during World War II.
Takeshima and South Korea line with domestic and inter- Japan also has a dispute over