2022 Presidential Election File Marine Le Pen claims the EU will postpone sanctions against Moscow until the second round of the French presidential election. A New York Times article openly mentions it, but Emmanuel Macron has refuted this claim.
During the second-round debate on Ukraine, Marine Le Pen stated that she was against sanctions against “the import of Russian gas and oil”, stressing that “we are also told that this would be negotiated by the European Union after the French presidential election”. This allegation regarding oil was already made on 17 NYT, I quote my sources you see dear Benjamin Duhamel – the EU, in order not to embarrass Emmanuel Macron, does not immediately say that it is preparing an embargo on Russian oil before they apparently mentioned an increase in fuel prices would induce punishment if the journalist cuts it.
The New York Times article in question is from April 14. Entitled “Europe is reluctantly preparing an embargo on Russian oil,” it mentions ongoing discussions about this sixth round of sanctions, which would ban imports of Russian oil, on which the Union is particularly dependent. The article specifies several times that Member States would wait until the end of the French elections to adopt this measure. Official sources, who wish to remain anonymous, explain that the aim is to “ensure that the impact on pump prices does not fuel populist candidate Marine Le Pen’s score and hurt President Emanuel Macron’s chances of re-election.” . .
During an interview on France 5 on April 18, Emmanuel Macron denied this accusation: This is completely false information. First, I believe so [le New York Times] said about oil. Next, it’s wrong because France argued for it [les sanctions]. Those who are against… Well, there are several European countries that are hostile at this stage. There’s one in particular, not that he wants to help me, but Mr Orbán who said he would veto coal, oil and gas. And Mr Orbán is rather Ms Le Pen’s great friend.
Difficult to go further in review as these diplomatic talks on the sanctions are not public. Although the New York Times article, according to official sources and quoted anonymous diplomats, expresses the desire to adopt this measure after the second round of the French presidential election, it nevertheless indicates that this is not the only reason for the delay of the sanctions. In question, the need for unanimous approval of the Twenty-Seven.
Hungary, whose Prime Minister Victor Orbán has effectively announced that he will oppose sanctions on gas or oil, is one of the obstacles mentioned. Just like Germany, which is heavily dependent on hydrocarbons from Moscow. The New York Times states at least a transitional period of one month for the implementation of these sanctions. But again, the details and terms of these future agreements remain unknown for now.