The European Union has failed for a second day to approve a fresh sanctions package against Russia, with Slovakia holding out over concerns tied to the bloc’s Russian gas phase-out plan.
The European Union was unable to reach agreement on its 18th package of sanctions against Russia for the second consecutive day on Wednesday, as Slovakia continued to demand stronger guarantees regarding its future gas supply, EU diplomats told Reuters.
Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico’s government vetoed the sanctions during a meeting of EU ambassadors, insisting the country needed clearer protections before supporting the broader measures. According to diplomats familiar with the negotiations, Malta also voiced objections.
While Slovakia cannot veto the EU’s separate plan to end Russian gas imports by the end of 2027, which only requires a reinforced majority of support, sanctions packages must be approved unanimously. Bratislava is now linking its consent to the sanctions with assurances that it will not face energy shortages or financial repercussions.
"We consider this [Russian energy phase-out] proposal to be a sanction and therefore naturally link it to the proposal for the... package of sanctions," Fico wrote in a letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, published by his office on Wednesday.
He added that Slovakia expects a vote on the sanctions only once the "substantial risks" regarding gas supplies from 2028 onwards are addressed.
Slovakia remains reliant on Russian energy and has frequently adopted a more cautious stance on Ukraine-related matters. Officials in Bratislava warn that exiting Russian gas could lead to shortages, higher energy prices and transit costs, as well as possible legal disputes with Gazprom, Russia’s state-owned energy company.
Fico said the most viable path forward would be an exemption from the EU’s Russian energy phase-out plan, allowing Slovakia to honour its gas contract with Gazprom, which extends to 2034.
The European Commission attempted to ease Slovakia’s concerns in a letter sent Tuesday, but Fico responded that further talks were necessary to clarify what specific commitments the EU executive body would be willing to make.
The sanctions package, once adopted, would be the EU’s 18th set of measures aimed at penalising Russia for its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 27 August, covering the latest developments you need to know....
Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook will file a lawsuit to prevent President Donald Trump from removing her from office, a lawyer for the central bank ...
SpaceX’s Starship rocket successfully deployed its first batch of mock Starlink satellites and tested new heat shield tiles during its tenth test fl...
The U.S. has doubled tariffs on Indian goods to 50%, heightening trade tensions with one of its closest strategic partners and threatening thousands o...
Russian forces have captured two villages in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region, as Kyiv struggles to repel advances during stalled peace negotiations,...
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has provided a €500 million loan (almost $590 million) to the national gas company Naftogaz (NAK) for emergency gas purchases for Ukraine.
U.S. President Donald Trump threatened "severe consequences" if Russia's Vladimir Putin does not agree to peace in Ukraine but also said on Wednesday that a meeting between them could swiftly be followed by a second that would include the leader of Ukraine.
Europe and Ukraine's leaders will speak to U.S. President Donald Trump at a virtual meeting on Wednesday ahead of his summit with Russia's Vladimir Putin, as they try to drive home the perils of selling out Kyiv's interests in pursuit of a ceasefire.
In a joint statement, the UK, France, Italy, Germany, Poland, Finland and the European Commission said Ukraine alone must decide its future. Their declaration came ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday.
A powerful eruption at Japan’s Shinmoedake volcano sent an ash plume more than 3,000 metres high on Sunday morning, prompting safety warnings from authorities.
According to the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), a magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck the Oaxaca region of Mexico on Saturday.
The UK is gearing up for Exercise Pegasus 2025, its largest pandemic readiness test since COVID-19. Running from September to November, this full-scale simulation will challenge the country's response to a fast-moving respiratory outbreak.
Kuwait says oil prices will likely stay below $72 per barrel as OPEC monitors global supply trends and U.S. policy signals. The remarks come during market uncertainty fueled by new U.S. tariffs on India and possible sanctions on Russia.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 27 August, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook will file a lawsuit to prevent President Donald Trump from removing her from office, a lawyer for the central bank official said on Tuesday, potentially setting up a prolonged legal battle over the White House’s attempt to influence U.S. monetary policy.
SpaceX’s Starship rocket successfully deployed its first batch of mock Starlink satellites and tested new heat shield tiles during its tenth test flight on Tuesday, marking key development milestones after a streak of earlier failures.
The U.S. has doubled tariffs on Indian goods to 50%, heightening trade tensions with one of its closest strategic partners and threatening thousands of exporters and jobs in India.
Russian forces have captured two villages in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region, as Kyiv struggles to repel advances during stalled peace negotiations, Ukrainian open-source researchers said on Tuesday.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment