Poland proposes additions to EU summit draft on Ukraine - source

According to PAP sources, Poland has put forward proposals to strengthen the draft conclusions for the EU summit on Russia's aggression against Ukraine, which will be held in Brussels at the end of May.

An extraordinary summit of the European Union on Russia's aggression against Ukraine will be held in Brussels on May 30-31. Its draft conclusions were prepared by the cabinet of Charles Michel, the president of the European Council.

Poland has proposed a number of changes to the draft. It is pushing for leaders to include stipulations which state that the EU will continue to impose sanctions on Russia until it ceases its aggression, withdraws all military forces and equipment from Ukraine and recognises the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine.

The EU is currently trying to adopt a sixth package of sanctions, which includes an embargo on Russian oil. Some countries - Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic - are demanding temporary exceptions, due to their lack of access to the sea and related potential problems with the supply of raw materials.

Poland suggests that the conclusions of the summit also include provisions on the need to impose an import tax on oil from Russia in connection with the proposed exemptions for some EU countries.

"We have to break the stalemate and adopt a sixth package of sanctions. At the same time, we are already preparing with other EU partners the next, seventh, sanctions package. We must effectively limit and cut off imports of both oil and gas from Russia. We are also working on a ban on importing Russian nuclear fuel," Andrzej Sadoś, Permanent Representative of Poland to the EU, told PAP.

Warsaw is also counting on a discussion at the Brussels summit on Putin's decree on gas payments in roubles and its impact on EU sanctions. The postulate is the rapid expansion of the energy infrastructure, which is to increase the EU's resistance to Russia's actions. Poland also wants the conclusions to contain a clear statement that Member States may refer to their own gas, coal or nuclear energy resources in the current crisis situation.

Poland also believes that the conclusions should clearly condemn the destruction and illegal appropriation of agricultural production in Ukraine by Russia and indicate Russia's clear responsibility for disrupting food security on a global scale.

According to PAP, Warsaw is also counting on leaders to discuss additional financial support for Ukrainian refugees in the EU, similar to the measures taken in response to the 2015 migration crisis.