EU pushes stricter bans on Russian oil and steel imports, backed by Poland and Baltic states

The Baltic states of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia have asked the European Commission to accelerate a full ban on Russian crude oil imports, a move supported by Poland. Polish deputy energy minister Wojciech Wrochna said Poland wants the ban in place by the end of the year, arguing that the cost to independence from Russian energy is justified. The commission plans to present a proposal after the EU energy ministers' meeting; only Hungary and Slovakia have signaled possible opposition.

Effective 1 July, the EU will also tighten its steel protection regime, cutting the annual import ceiling to 18.3 million tonnes and raising over‑quota duties to 50 %. While the measures target Russian steel, they also affect Ukraine, which will receive a duty‑free quota of only 713,000 tonnes—far below its current export levels and potentially cutting Ukrainian steel output by a third. Poland advocated for including Ukraine fully in the new rules. The combined actions represent a coordinated effort to limit Russian revenue from energy and metal exports while reshaping trade flows within the bloc.