Baltic States Urge EU to Speed Up Ban on Russian Oil Imports
Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania called on the EU at a Friday energy ministers' meeting to expedite a proposal to phase out Russian oil imports, arguing that fears of an energy crisis due to the Iran war have not materialized.
The Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania urged Brussels on Friday to accelerate long-delayed plans to ban imports of Russian oil, as EU concerns over a severe energy crisis triggered by the war in Iran have not materialized. According to the Financial Times, citing sources, the countries made the call at an EU energy ministers' meeting.
Late last year, member states agreed that the European Commission would bring forward a proposal for a ban, but negotiations stalled after the outbreak of war in late February forced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, sparking fears of a supply crisis. However, with the US and Iran agreeing to extend a ceasefire and traffic gradually resuming through the strait – through which about a fifth of global oil and gas passes – the Baltic states believe the time is right to push ahead with ending Russian energy imports.
Multiple sources familiar with the talks said that at Friday's meeting, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania argued that Russian energy exports help finance Moscow's war in Ukraine. EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen did not comment on the remarks during the closed session, a spokesperson declined to comment, but the Commission has committed to bringing forward a proposal.
Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the EU has been taking steps to wean itself off Russian energy. According to Commission data, oil imports from Russia accounted for 2% of total supplies in 2025, down from 27% in early 2022, but still amounted to 9.7 million tonnes of crude oil. The EU has agreed to phase out Russian gas from its energy mix by autumn 2027.
However, officials said the war in Iran halted implementation of these plans. The oil ban proposal was scheduled to be tabled on April 15, but was removed from the Commission's agenda in March. Pushing the ban could face resistance from countries heavily reliant on Russian oil, such as Hungary and Slovakia, as well as from member states struggling with high energy prices. Individual member states cannot veto the measure.
Responding to questions about prospects for an accelerated ban, Polish deputy energy minister Wojciech Wrochna told the FT that Warsaw considers it necessary by the end of the year. "But we understand the concerns about prices, availability and competitiveness that may result. This is the price we must pay to become independent of Russian resources," he said.
On Friday, the European Commission said the oil products market "has demonstrated depth and resilience" despite warnings in April that Europe had only a few weeks of aviation fuel supply. After the meeting, Jørgensen said the situation in the Middle East would make it "more likely" that Europe avoids shortages of jet fuel and other products this summer. However, he added: "We have to recognize that even if a deal is reached, returning to normal in the oil market will take several months, and in the gas market several years."
