2022-05-31 18:55 update: 2022-06-01, 15:05
Mateusz Morawiecki. Photo PAP/Marcin Obara
Poland's prime minister has described an EU embargo on Russian oil as a triumph of solidarity and unity in the European Council and European Union.
European Council President Charles Michel announced following a late-night summit of EU leaders in Brussels on Monday that the bloc's leaders had reached agreement on an embargo on Russian oil imports.
After the talks, Mateusz Morawiecki, the Polish prime minister said: "We managed to break the impasse. After several hours of discussion, we established that the sixth package of sanctions against the Russian Federation will also include sanctions on oil.
"That's very important because today oil is one of the main sources of income that the Kremlin later earmarks for the war in Ukraine," Morawiecki continued, adding that without addressing the issue it would be "hard to talk about an effective fight against (Russian President Vladimir - PAP) Putin's war machine."
The prime minister went on to say that despite pessimism and scepticism, the diplomacy of the European Commission, Poland and several other member states had been effective.
"We had a special duty to persuade our partners from the Visegrad Group: the Czech Republic, the Slovak Republic and Hungary," Morawiecki explained. "And I can say we managed to do that.
"We showed certain mechanisms to get out of that difficult situation for many, from that impasse that we fell into, but I can say that today once more solidarity and unity triumphed in the European Council and European Union," he added
According to Morawiecki, the oil embargo was very important news for the security of Poland and Europe and very good news for Ukraine, which is fighting for its independence and sovereignty.
He went on to say the bloc's leaders had also discussed the delivery of military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine and issues related to the export of grains, and that those subjects would be taken up again on Tuesday. (PAP)
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