EU prepares next Russia sanctions including German-backed oil ban

Tanks for producing bio gas are pictured at the harbor in Hamburg, Germany, on April 19, 2022. Germany says it’s making progress on weaning itself off Russian fossil fuels and expects to be fully independent of crude oil imports from Russia by late summer. Economy and Climate Minister Robert Habeck on Sunday said Europe’s biggest economy has reduced the share of Russian imports in its energy consumption to 12 percent for oil, 8 percent for coal and 35 percent for natural gas. - AP

KYIV/LVIV: The European Union was preparing sanctions on Russian oil sales over its invasion of Ukraine after a major shift on Monday by Germany, Russia's biggest energy customer, that could deprive Moscow of a large revenue stream within days.

The European Commission is expected to propose a sixth package of EU sanctions this week against Russia over its Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine, including a possible embargo on buying Russian oil.