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Poland wants to buy Russian oil next year despite plans to abandon it — Kommersant

Earlier, Polish Foreign Minister said that the Polish authorities want the EU to impose sanctions on oil supplies through the Druzhba pipeline so that the republic does not have to pay a penalty to the Russian side due to the earlier termination of previously concluded contracts

MOSCOW, November 16. /TASS/. The largest Polish oil refinery Orlen has submitted an application to Russian oil pipeline operator Transneft for the supply of 3 million tons of Russian oil through the Druzhba pipeline in 2023, despite plans to abandon Russian oil purchases, the Kommersant business daily reported on Wednesday, citing sources.

According to the newspaper, the Polish company has applied for the transit of 3 million tons of Russian oil per year under long-term contracts.

"Alongside the existing requests from consumers using the transportation route along the southern branch of the Druzhba oil pipeline heading to Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic in transit through Ukraine, I would also like to mention the presence of orders from Polish consumers for 2023 in transit through the republic of Belarus," Transneft Vice President Sergey Andronov said. His words were conveyed to Kommersant by a company representative. Andronov did not specify the applicants and volumes they requested.

Despite the imminent start of the EU embargo on Russian oil (comes into force on December 5), "the organization of supplies is going as planned," the company’s representative added.

Earlier, Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau said that the Polish authorities want the European Union to impose sanctions on oil supplies through the Druzhba pipeline so that the republic does not have to pay a penalty to the Russian side due to the earlier termination of previously concluded contracts.

As Rau recalled, "Poland has pledged to use Russian oil only until the end of this year." According to him, it concerns oil from the northern branch of the Druzhba gas pipeline.

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