The European Commission proposed a gradual ban on Russian oil imports to punish Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine, as Russian forces pounded sites to the east of the country and hit targets in the far west near the EU border.
European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen announced the bloc would phase out the Russian supply of crude oil within six months, and refined products by the end of the year.
The proposed new sanctions also include moves against Russia’s biggest bank, Sberbank, and the targeting of Patriarch Kirill, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church.