In a decisive move toward energy independence, Poland is set to stop drawing oil from Russia in February and March. This shift was outlined during a press briefing led by Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki on February 28, as reported by Reuters. The message underscored a broader strategy to reduce reliance on Russian supplies and accelerate diversification of Poland’s energy mix for greater national security and economic resilience.
Morawiecki noted that recent figures show a notable drop in the share of Russian crude within Poland’s total oil consumption, a trend driven by deliberate policy choices and operational adjustments by key energy players in the country. The government and industry observers have closely monitored this transition as a signal of Poland’s intent to realign its energy sources with Western markets and partners, reinforcing a long-term plan to safeguard energy supply and price stability for Polish households and industries.
During the briefing, Morawiecki referenced information from the Orlen group indicating that the February and March periods could approach zero imports from Russia, a testament to the rapid progress in eliminating Russian crude from the national supply chain and the successful execution of alternative supply arrangements. This development aligns with Poland’s aim to strengthen energy security by accelerating the shift to non-Russian sources and diversified routes, a movement widely covered across European energy analyses and market updates.
Earlier statements from Igor Demin, the spokesperson for Transneft, the Russian state pipeline company, suggested that oil movements toward Poland had paused due to payment issues. Industry observers note that such interruptions, whether real or communicated as policy stances, add another layer to the already complex picture of cross-border energy flows in Europe. Analysts in Warsaw and beyond are watching how these dynamics unfold as Poland accelerates its pivot away from Russian crude.
In early February, Bloomberg reported that Poland would reduce imports of Russian oil through the Druzhba pipeline by about half during February, reflecting a concerted effort by Warsaw to curtail dependence and accelerate the transition to alternate suppliers and routes. Market participants interpreted the move as a concrete step in implementing Poland’s longer-term energy strategy, with downstream effects for refining capacities, storage utilization, and bilateral trade balances with neighboring economies and traders in Central Europe.
From the start of the year, Poland’s energy sector has signaled readiness to abandon Russian oil entirely, a stance reiterated by officials within the Orlen group and reinforced by procurement and logistical planning across the national supply chain. This decisive posture has been framed as part of a broader European push to diversify energy corridors, secure reliable supplies, and foster resilient domestic refining operations that can adapt to evolving geopolitical realities and sanctions environments. The policy trajectory emphasizes reliability, transparency, and strategic stock management to cushion consumers from potential volatility in global energy markets.