Poland Urges EU Members to End Russian Oil Imports by 2026

Poland has urged European Union member states that are still buying Russian energy to end those imports by the end of 2026 and will offer them help towards that effort, Energy Minister Milosz Motyka said on Wednesday.

The Druzhba oil pipeline delivers Russian oil to Hungary and Slovakia, which continue to buy energy supplies from Russia after other EU nations cut ties following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

The European Commission will propose speeding up the phasing out of Russian fossil imports, the EU executive head Ursula von der Leyen said on Tuesday after a call with U.S. President Donald Trump.

The bloc had previously planned to end purchases of Russian oil and gas by January 1, 2028.

The Polish minister said this should happen two years earlier, particularly in light of recent events such as a Russian drone incursion on Poland's territory last week.

"I appeal to you to agree on a common goal of completely phasing out imports of Russian crude oil by the end of 2026," Motyka wrote to EU nations' energy ministers.

"Such a decision would strengthen the coherence of our actions, set a clear time horizon, and demonstrate our determination to become independent from oil supplies posing political and strategic risks."

The EU has imposed sanctions on most Russian oil imports but not on gas due to opposition from Slovakia and Hungary, which receive Russian pipeline supplies and maintain closer ties with Moscow.

Motyka's deputy and Poland's top energy security official Wojciech Wrochna said that U.S. liquefied natural gas flowing via Poland could help eliminate Russian gas from Europe.

"I had a very good meeting with U.S. energy secretary Chris Wright yesterday, U.S. gas flowing south via Poland could help eliminate Russian gas," Wrochna told reporters.

Poland's Orlen started shipping U.S. gas to Ukraine this spring to help Kyiv replenish stores ahead of winter. Slovakia remains reliant on Russian imports and it has not used a gas link with Poland to secure alternative supplies.

(Reuters)