EU’s Kallas unveils recent failure in passing new Russia sanctions
(MENAFN) EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas announced on Tuesday that the bloc has once again failed to pass a new sanctions package against Russia. Kallas expressed hope that the measures could still be adopted later this week.
The proposed sanctions were discussed at a meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council but remain stalled due to opposition from Slovakia. For the package to pass, unanimous agreement from all 27 member states is required.
“I’m really disappointed we couldn’t reach an agreement today. We came very close,” Kallas said. She noted that the European Commission had already met Slovakia’s demands, adding, “Now the ball is in Slovakia’s court. We must finalize this deal — it’s been two months already.”
Bratislava continues to block the sanctions, demanding that its concerns about the separate RePowerEU energy plan be resolved first. Other nations, including Hungary, Austria, and reportedly Italy, have also expressed opposition to the initiative, which seeks to end Russian energy imports by 2028.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico sharply criticized the EU’s proposal on Monday, calling it harmful not just to Slovakia but to the EU as a whole. “The Commission’s proposal is, frankly, imbecilic. It’s driven by a blind obsession with Russia,” Fico said.
He also rejected a letter from Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala, who urged him to support the EU’s 18th sanctions package. Fico reaffirmed that Slovakia would not back the measures until it receives solid guarantees that it will have reliable and affordable gas supplies beyond January 1, 2028.
While the EU has not imposed a formal ban on Russian gas, most member states have voluntarily reduced their imports. However, landlocked nations such as Slovakia, Hungary, Austria, and the Czech Republic continue to rely on limited gas supplies through exemptions. Slovakia and Hungary also remain heavily dependent on Russian oil.
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