Baku: Baltic states have called on Brussels to expedite delayed plans to ban imports of Russian oil as the EU's fears of an energy shortage due to the Iran war have not come to fruition. According to Azeri-Press News Agency, EU member states had previously agreed that the European Commission would advance the ban. However, discussions have stalled since the war's onset in late February, which led to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and raised concerns about an energy supply crisis.

During a meeting of energy ministers on Friday, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania urged the EU to move forward with proposals to phase out Russian oil imports. Multiple sources familiar with the talks noted that the Baltic states argued that Russian energy exports are contributing to funding the Kremlin's war in Ukraine. While energy commissioner Dan J¸rgensen did not address these comments during the closed-door meeting, the European Commission has committed to advancing the proposal.

The calls for action come as the gradual reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, following a ceasefire extension agreement between the US and Iran, is expected to stabilize oil markets. This development strengthens the calls for Europe to proceed with phasing out Russian energy, as approximately a fifth of the world's oil and gas typically flows through the crucial Gulf waterway.

Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the EU has been working to reduce its reliance on Russian energy. The European Commission reported that oil imports from Russia accounted for 2 percent of supply in 2025, down from 27 percent at the beginning of 2022, yet this still corresponded to 9.7 million tonnes of crude.