The European Commission has postponed the presentation of a proposal for a permanent ban on Russian oil imports, Euronews reports.

The Middle East war continues to cause upheaval in energy markets, keeping the price of Brent crude above $100 per barrel. Adding to the complexity is the tense standoff with Hungary and Slovakia — two EU member states that still purchase Russian oil — over the Soviet-era Druzhba pipeline.

The bill, part of the REPowerEU roadmap, had been tentatively scheduled for presentation on April 15, but the date has now been removed from the calendar.

"I cannot give you a new date," said Anna-Kaisa Itkonen, the Commission's energy spokeswoman, on Tuesday. "I can only assure you that we still intend to put forward this proposal."

The delay was influenced by the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran, which disrupted energy markets and led to a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz — a vital artery through which one-fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas had until recently been transported daily.

The European Commission insists, however, that the change in timing does not signal a change in policy. "The proposal will be made," Itkonen clarified.

Quoting Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission spokesperson warned that a return to Russian fossil fuels after the end of the war in Ukraine would be a "strategic mistake."