Marine Le Pen claims the EU would delay sanctions against Moscow until the second round of French presidential elections. A New York Times article openly mentions it, but Emmanuel Macron has refuted this claim.
During the second debate on Ukraine, Marine Le Pen said she was opposed to sanctions against ” import of Russian oil and gas » emphasizing that « we have also been told that it will be negotiated by the European Union after the French presidential elections “. This statement, regarding oil, has already been heard in the mouth of the deputy national rally du Nord Sébastien Chenu on BFMTV on April 17: “The European Union is basically trying to hide that it is preparing – it is the… NYTI 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 appearing to speak of an increase in the price of fuel that this sanction would cause if the journalist cut it.
‘s article New York Times in question is dated April 14. entitled “Europe reluctantly prepares embargo on Russian oilhe mentions ongoing talks for this sixth round of sanctions that would ban imports of Russian oil, on which the Union is particularly dependent. The article states several times that the member states would wait until the end of the French elections to approve this measure. Official sources who wish to remain anonymous explain that this is the case “to ensure that the impact on prices at the pump does not fuel populist candidate Marine Le Pen and do not hurt President Emmanuel Macron’s chances of reelection.”
at a interview on France 5 on April 18, Emmanuel Macron refuted this accusation: “This is total disinformation. First, I believe that [le New York Times] said about oil. Then it is incorrect because France argued for: [les sanctions]† Those who oppose this… Well, there are several European countries that are hostile at this stage. There’s one in particular, it’s not that he wants to help me, it’s rather Mr. Orbán who said he would veto coal, oil and gas. And Mr Orbán is rather the great friend of Mrs Le Pen†
Difficult to move forward in verification, as far as these diplomatic discussions about the sanctions are not public. If the article of New York Times According to the official sources and the quoted anonymous diplomats, he expresses a desire to implement this measure after the second round of the French presidential elections, he nevertheless indicates that this is not the only reason for the delay of the sanctions. In question, the need to have a unanimous agreement of the Twenty-seven.
Hungary, whose Prime Minister Victor Orbán, actually had announced he would oppose sanctions on gas or oil, is one of the barriers mentioned. Just like Germany, which is heavily dependent on hydrocarbons from Moscow. the New York Times specifies 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.
