Poland, which strongly supports the European embargo on Russian oil because of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, continues to cover about 10% of its oil needs from Russia. This fact was acknowledged Thursday by a deputy minister of state assets during a parliamentary session.
“Contract in force with Tatneft”
Although the embargo only affects oil imports by sea, one of the main sources of revenue for the Russian state, Poland boasted last year that it had a plan to abandon Russian oil imports by the end of 2022. However, Maciej Malecki, when answering a question from an opposition member of parliament, acknowledged that the current contract with the Russian oil group Tatneft, which expires at the end of 2024, covers about 10% of the oil needs of Orlen, the state-controlled national oil giant.
“End of Russian oil imports”
According to Malecki, Orlen firmly states that it will stop buying Russian oil as soon as an embargo is introduced in the EU because of the risk of damage if the current contract is broken. Poland has largely diversified its sources of gas and oil supplies for several years and, according to Malecki, the contract with Tatneft is “the only one” still in force.
In conclusion, Poland is in violation of the Russian oil embargo by covering part of its oil needs from Russia, despite its earlier statements that it would abandon Russian oil imports by the end of 2022.
