European Union wrestles with Russia oil embargo as leaders gather

European Union leaders will gather Monday in a new show of solidarity with Ukraine but divisions over whether to target Russian oil in a new series of sanctions are exposing the limits of how far the bloc can go to help the war-torn country. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who will address the 27 heads of state and government by videoconference in the evening, has repeatedly demanded that the EU target Russia's lucrative energy sector and deprive Moscow of billions of dollars each day in supply payments.

But Hungary is leading a group of countries - along with Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Bulgaria - that rely on Russian oil and can't afford to take such steps. Hungary gets more than 60% of its oil from Russia and 85% of its natural gas. Prime Minister Viktor Orban has insisted that an oil embargo should not be discussed at the summit.