European foreign ministers disagree on oil sanctions
Biden due at EU, NATO, G7 summits on Thursday in Brussels
EU has sanctioned 685 Russians and Belarusians in March
Oil embargo may hinge on Ukraine war worsening further

BRUSSELS, March 21 Reuters The European Union39;s foreign ministers disagreed on Monday on whether and how to slap sanctions on Russia39;s lucrative energy sector over its invasion of Ukraine, with Germany saying the bloc was too dependent on Russian oil to decide an embargo.

The EU and allies have already imposed a panoply of measures against Russia, including freezing its central bank39;s assets.

Russia39;s siege and bombardment of Mariupol port, which EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell called a massive war crime, is increasing pressure for action.

But targeting Russian oil, as the United States and Britain have done, is a divisive choice for the 27nation EU, which relies on Russia for 40 of its gas. Some argued on Monday that the EU could no longer avoid such a step.

Looking at the extent of the destruction in Ukraine right now, it39;s very hard to make the case that we shouldn39;t be moving in on the energy sector, particularly oil and coal, Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said before a meeting of counterparts, echoing comments from the Baltic countries.

But Germany and the Netherlands said the EU was dependent on Russian oil and gas and could not cut itself off tomorrow.

The question of an oil embargo is not a question of…