EU must end all economic ties to Russia as fast as possible, German finance minister says

German Finance Minister Christian Lindner gives a joint press statement with French Economic system Minister Bruno Le Maire (not pictured) at the Finance Ministry in Berlin, Germany March 31, 2022. Tobias Schwarz/Pool by means of REUTERS/File Photo

BRUSSELS, April 4 (Reuters) – The European Union must do the job towards slicing all economic ties with Russia about its “criminal” war in Ukraine, German Finance Minister Christian Lindner said on Monday, but solid question around an quick embargo on Russian gasoline imports.

“We are working with a legal war,” Lindner in Brussels before talks with his EU colleagues. “It is very clear we need to stop as quickly as probable all financial ties to Russia. Gas are not able to be substituted in the short time period.”

He explained that all possibilities ended up on the table and that an encompassing ban on all Russian energy imports would inflict additional financial damage on EU member states than on Russia.

Thus the EU must glimpse independently at the chance of banning oil, coal or gasoline, which can be replaced at varying speeds.

Producing by Joseph Nasr Editing by Maria Sheahan

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