European Union (EU) is designing a plan of measures to punish Russia after the invasion of Ukraine to ban the purchase of Russian oil.

According to "The New York Times", quoted by the newspaper Económico, the EU has resisted taking such a measure in view of the enormous costs it would bring to Germany and the increase in energy prices in the European bloc. According to Reuters data, the EU is the destination of 29% of Russian oil.

But EU officials say the 27 member states are close to adopting such a measure in a phased manner to give nations, such as Germany, time to adapt and find an alternative. The EU took a similar approach earlier this month when it banned Russian coal.

The embargo will not be negotiated by member states until after the presidential election in France on April 24, to ensure that the impact of natural gas prices does not support far-right populist candidate Marine Le Pen.

Since the start of the February 24 invasion of Ukraine, Brussels has already passed five sanctions packages against the Kremlin, Russian oligarchs and companies, stressing from the outset the bloc's intentions to reduce dependence on Russia's energy mix.