US urges EU to ban fuel imports from two countries
Photo: US Energy Secretary Christopher Wright (Getty Images)
The United States is demanding that the European Union completely cut off its reliance on Russian energy resources. This includes blocking imports from Türkiye and India, which refine petroleum products from Russian crude, said US Energy Secretary Christopher Wright.
One of the conditions of a trade deal between the US and the EU is that Europe imports $250 billion worth of American energy annually over the next three years. While many have called that figure unrealistic, Wright insists it can be achieved.
In his view, two-thirds of this amount could be met by banning imports of Russian energy and refined products from countries that purchase Russian oil, primarily Türkiye and India.
"Meeting the EU-US trade deal’s targets would require far more rapid action in the EU than implied by its 2027 exit deadline to end all dependency on the Kremlin for energy imports," the outlet noted.
Wright also stressed that the US is positioning itself as a central energy supplier, and not only for Europe.
"The huge American abundant energy resources allow us to be a key energy supplier to our allies around the world that previously have been buying oil and gas and other technologies from adversaries," he said.
Recently, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen suggested accelerating the phaseout of Russian fuel imports following a conversation with US President Donald Trump.
Some EU states also support tougher measures: Poland has urged a full stop to Russian oil imports by the end of 2026 to cut Moscow’s war funding and help Ukraine win the war.
However, there’s a catch: the EU is unlikely to fully cut off Russian oil and gas even by 2027. Reports suggest the bloc may never formalize a full ban on Russian oil imports. Initially, Brussels had targeted 2028 for a phaseout, but pressure from Trump forced the EU to speed up its plans.
