The EU's ban on the import of Russian oil via the Druzhba pipeline as part of the 11th package of sanctions is likely to be relatively inefficient, since the pipeline will still be used to transport to Europe oil produced in countries other than Russia, Samuele Furfari, professor and specialist in energy geopolitics, told Sputnik on Friday
BRUSSELS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 23rd June, 2023) The EU's ban on the import of Russian oil via the Druzhba pipeline as part of the 11th package of sanctions is likely to be relatively inefficient, since the pipeline will still be used to transport to Europe oil produced in countries other than Russia, Samuele Furfari, professor and specialist in energy geopolitics, told Sputnik on Friday.
On Wednesday, the Council of the European Union adopted the 11th package of sanctions against Russia, aimed at tightening the existing restrictions and preventing their circumvention. The new package includes, among other things, a ban on the import of Russian oil through the northern branch of the Druzhba pipeline. The sanctions will go into effect on Saturday.
The expert noted that this is the third time that the EU has announced restrictions on the Druzhba pipeline.
"They (the EU) strangely keep a door open: the pipeline will still be allowed to transport oil extracted in Kazakhstan or other countries than Russia and delivered to Europe by the Russian pipelines network," Furfari said.�
However, once the oil cargoes are mixed, it will be difficult to determine their origin, so a ban on oil imports from Russia is likely to remain ineffective, the expert said.
"The Europeans actually want to say, with a certain dose of hypocrisy, that they will allow SWAP contracts. Europe will probably continue to import Russian oil via Druzhba, but covered by Kazakh exchange contracts," he pointed out.
Shipments of Russian liquefied natural gas to European ports continue and are unlikely to stop either, as EU member states desperately need gas to replenish their reserves ahead of the winter, Furfari said.
"prices of gas are already climbing back to their highest levels," he noted.
The expert added that in the end, such an arrangement would only hurt EU citizens.� � �
In 2022, Western countries imposed sanctions on Russia in response to its military operation in Ukraine. In February 2023, the European Union blocked the transit of European goods and dual-use technologies through Russia in the 10th sanctions package to prevent sanctions evasion. In May, the EU said that its exports to Russia fell by 55% compared to 2021 levels, and Russian imports to the bloc shrank by almost 60% as a result of the sanctions.�
