The European Commission is preparing to introduce tariffs on Russian oil that continues to enter the European market. Spokesman Olof Gill confirmed that the details of the plan will be presented shortly. The announcement follows a statement by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen after her recent meeting with US President Donald Trump, where she said that the measure would soon be proposed.
Unlike sanctions, which require unanimous approval from all EU member states, tariffs fall under trade policy and can be adopted through qualified majority voting, preventing any single country from blocking the decision.
Currently, Hungary and Slovakia remain the only EU members importing Russian crude via the Druzhba pipeline. Together with the Czech Republic, they were granted exemptions from the oil and petroleum product import ban because they lack direct access to the sea and therefore face limited supply alternatives.
While the Czech Republic has since diversified its oil sources, Hungary and Slovakia have yet to take comparable steps, continuing to rely heavily on Russian deliveries. The proposed tariffs aim to encourage these countries to secure new supply routes and reduce dependence on Russia.
