The President of the National Assembly had, Tuesday, March 23 in the morning, words that may not please the Ukrainian President that parliamentarians must hear, by videoconference, in the afternoon. Richard Ferrand judged, on France Inter, that an embargo on Russian gas and oil – major sources of financing for Russia waging war on Ukraine – was not ” Not possible “. In the eyes of the man who also chairs Emmanuel Macron’s campaign committee, “Sanctions serve to influence Russian political power, they do not serve to punish French women or Frenchmen or other Europeans”while the subject of purchasing power, particularly on energy, is one of the most debated in the presidential campaign.
“Each time we can toughen up our position to influence Russian power, we have to do it, but it’s not a question of suddenly drying up Europe, France, industry, everything that makes us liveargued Mr. Ferrand. There is no substitute answer if we decided that tomorrow or the day after. That we go gradually towards a reduction in our supplies to the point that it weakens Russia, yes, but it would not be honest to say “tomorrow morning we decide that”. »
“We obviously have to get out, and as soon as possible, of importing Russian gas and oil”declared for her part on Franceinfo Aurore Bergé, the delegate president of the deputies La République en Marche, adding that “it’s a matter of time, because we can’t condemn our neighbors tomorrow [européens] who are in an extraordinarily powerful energetic situation of dependence”. “It is an issue of strengthening sanctions in the medium to long term, the war is likely to last, and therefore the sanctions must also be able to advance gradually”she clarified.
“Nothing is taboo”
After the Italian Parliament on Tuesday, then the Japanese Parliament on Wednesday, it is the turn of the National Assembly and the French Senate to meet exceptionally and simultaneously at 3 p.m. – despite the end of legislative work – to listen to a live message from Volodymyr Zelensky.
Washington has decided to ban imports of Russian hydrocarbons and the United Kingdom has announced that it will stop importing Russian energy by the end of 2022. Europe has so far refused to decree an embargo on Russian imports, which provide 40% of its natural gas needs and 30% for oil. But on March 11, in Versailles, after two days of meeting with European leaders, Emmanuel Macron had not ruled out that the European Union could later attack imports of gas or oil. “Nothing is forbidden, nothing is taboo”he had launched.
Most of the candidates for the Elysée took a stand against an embargo on Russian hydrocarbons. Only the ecologist Yannick Jadot and the socialist Anne Hidalgo declared themselves explicitly in favor of it.
In a press release issued on Tuesday, TotalEnergies announced the end of all purchases of Russian petroleum or petroleum products. The decision will be effective “as soon as possible and at the latest by the end of 2022”, promises the text. Since the start of the war in Ukraine led by the Russian army on February 24, the company headed by Patrick Pouyanné has distinguished itself by being the only Western oil group to continue its activities in Russia.