Ukraine said on Friday, October 31st, that the European Union should hike tariffs on Russian imports if it cannot ban them entirely, amid frustration in Kyiv at Moscow’s continued ability to fund the war.
The 27-member bloc has slashed Russian imports by almost 90% since the war started in February 2022, but some countries still import Russian oil and gas, as well as small amounts of metal and fertilizer.
“We will raise the issue of imposing tariffs on these types of products,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha said during a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky attended by AFP journalists.
Russian gas still accounts for an estimated 13% of EU imports in 2025, worth over €15 billion ($17.3 billion) annually, according to Brussels.
The EU is able to raise some tariffs on Russia via a qualified majority, without the need for all members to agree, but imposing new sanctions requires unanimous approval from all members. Hungary and Slovakia, which promote peace and rely on Russian oil and gas for their energy needs, have blocked tougher sanctions on Russia.
EU countries last week agreed to phase out their remaining gas imports from Russia by the end of 2027, despite opposition from Hungary and Slovakia.
