[ti:EU Bans Most Russian Oil Imports] [by:www.51voa.com] [00:00.00]更多听力请访问51VOA.COM [00:00.04]The European Union (EU) has agreed to ban the majority of Russian oil imports. [00:07.72]The agreement marks the biggest move yet to punish Russia for its war in Ukraine. [00:16.24]Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine on February 24, [00:21.12]Western nations have sought to punish Russia economically for its aggression. [00:28.16]But targeting the energy sector has proven difficult. [00:33.32]The EU depends on Russia for 25 percent of its oil [00:39.24]and 40 percent of its natural gas. [00:43.00]European countries that are even more heavily dependent on Russia [00:48.56]have been especially resistant to act. [00:52.68]EU leaders agreed late Monday [00:55.72]to cut around 90 percent of all Russian oil imports [01:00.48]brought in by sea over the next six months. [01:04.80]The ban permits a temporary exemption for imports delivered by pipeline. [01:11.48]The exemption was critical in bringing Hungary on board with the decision, [01:17.04]which required approval from all EU leaders. [01:22.04]Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban [01:25.32]had made clear he could support the oil ban [01:28.76]only if his country's supply was guaranteed. [01:32.60]Hungary gets more than 60 percent of its oil [01:36.84]from Russia through the Druzhba pipeline. [01:41.84]Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo on Tuesday [01:45.92]called the oil ban, or embargo, a "big step forward." [01:51.56]Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin called it "a watershed moment." [01:56.80]A watershed moment describes a major event [02:00.52]that changes the direction of a situation. [02:05.00]Both leaders also noted that Europe would need time [02:09.00]to get used to the effects of the ban. [02:12.12]They said any additional bans on Russian energy [02:16.24]could only come slowly, if at all. [02:19.96]Dmitry Medvedev is the deputy head of Russia's Security Council. [02:26.00]Medvedev is also a former Russian president and prime minister. [02:31.24]He said Tuesday that energy sanctions against the country [02:36.20]were meant to hurt Russian citizens [02:39.16]by making it harder for the government to fund social programs. [02:44.28]"They hate us all! The basis for these decisions is hatred for Russia, [02:50.28]for Russians, and for all its inhabitants," [02:54.04]Medvedev wrote on the Telegram messaging app. [02:57.80]Simone Tagliapietra is an energy expert [03:02.44]and research fellow at the Brussels-based organization Bruegel. [03:07.56]She said Russia would likely have to sell its oil [03:11.28]at a lower cost to other buyers. [03:14.24]She called the embargo "a major blow." [03:17.84]Russia has also made moves to withhold its energy supplies, [03:22.96]even with the economic damage it could suffer as a result. [03:27.44]Russian energy company Gazprom said it cut natural gas supplies [03:33.44]to Dutch trader GasTerra on Tuesday. [03:37.28]The move was announced before EU leaders agreed to the embargo. [03:42.60]Russia already cut supplies to Bulgaria, Poland and Finland. [03:48.52]It is considering doing the same to Denmark. [03:52.48]GasTerra said homes would not be affected; [03:56.12]it had bought gas from other countries [03:58.88]because it expected a possible shutoff. [04:03.00]Talks on Tuesday at EU headquarters in Brussels [04:07.20]centered on ways to end the EU's dependence on Russian energy. [04:13.32]Leaders also expected to discuss how to help Ukraine export [04:17.08]millions of tons of grain trapped inside the country [04:21.12]as a worldwide food crisis grows. [04:25.40]Leaders are calling on Russia to halt its attacks [04:29.64]on transport infrastructure in Ukraine [04:33.20]and lift its blockade of Black Sea ports so that food can be shipped. [04:40.48]Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said Russia has [04:45.24]prevented the export of 22 million tons of grain, [04:49.92]much of it meant for people across the Middle East and Africa. [04:55.00]He accused Russia of "deliberately creating this problem." [05:00.80]I'm Ashley Thompson. [05:02.32]更多听力请访问51VOA.COM