Green Party MEPs Grace O’Sullivan and Ciarán Cuffe have welcomed the European Commissionproposal for a ban on Russian oil imports to the EU by the end of 2022. European CommissionPresident Ursula Von der Leyen presented the ban to the European Parliament in Strasbourg onWednesday, as part of the sixth in a series of EU sanctions packages against Russia. In reaction to thenews, MEPs Cuffe and O’Sullivan have called for urgent investment in renewable energy sources andprotective social measures against any knock-on effects of an oil ban on energy prices.Grace O’Sullivan, Green MEP for Ireland South, said: “The Russian invasion of Ukraine highlights anumber of issues in relation to the export of Russian oil. It serves to identify just how vulnerable weare around access to reliable energy resources, and how urgent it is that we transition to moresustainable energy suppliers. Now is the time to embrace a speedy move to renewable energysources and to call out greenwashing around the labelling of gas and nuclear as ‘Green’ energysources. The European Commission must revisit its taxonomy proposals and act in a responsible wayin the best interests of people and the planet.”Ciarán Cuffe, Green MEP for Dublin, said: “The proposed oil ban is a significant and necessary step tocripple Putin’s war financing and reduce our reliance on Russian energy exports. We must nowimmediately work to increase renewables and energy efficiency, as our best bet for energy security.As a far cheaper source of energy, more renewables will reduce the impact of increased volatility inthe energy market that is contributing to the high energy bills that many households areexperiencing.”MEPs Cuffe and O’Sullivan reiterated their call for MEPs to reject the European Commission’sproposed taxonomy that would label fossil gas as a green fuel. The MEPs said that greenwashing gasinvestments at a time of urgent need for investment in renewable energy sources is misleading anddangerous. MEPs are set to have their final say on the Sustainability Finance Taxonomy atparliament this July.