The unity the EU demonstrated after Russia launched its offensive in Ukraine is starting to “crumble,” German Economy Minister Robert Habeck said on Sunday. The warning comes ahead of the bloc’s summit to discuss a new sanctions package against Moscow and a potential oil embargo.
“After Russia’s attack on Ukraine, we saw what can happen when Europe stands united. With a view to the summit tomorrow, let’s hope it continues like this. But it is already starting to crumble and crumble again,” Habeck told a news conference.
The EU has struggled to agree on imposing the oil embargo on Russia, with multiple member countries voicing concerns that the move would become fatal for their economies. Hungary, which receives most of its oil from Russia, has been the most prominent opponent of the embargo, comparing the potential effect of a full ban to “an atomic bomb.” Similar concerns over the embargo have been voiced by other landlocked nations, namely Czechia and Slovakia.
Earlier this week, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen offered an explanation as to why the EU still continues to buy Russian oil.