The head of European diplomacy acknowledged on Tuesday that no agreement could be reached on an 18th “package” of sanctions against Russia in the war, including a new cap on the price of Russian oil.
Brussels – Kaja Kallas stated that she is “really sad” that the agreement on new EU sanctions against Moscow could not be reached on Tuesday.
“I have to say that we were really close,” she said to the press after a meeting in Brussels of foreign ministers. She hopes for an agreement as early as this week.
Slovakia confirmed its opposition on Tuesday in a message on X from its Prime Minister Robert Fico.
The latter is using this veto to pressure the Commission to guarantee its gas supply, at a time when the EU is seeking to completely halt its imports of Russian gas by 2027.
However, Slovakia has obtained sufficient guarantees from Brussels to lift its veto, Kaja Kallas estimated.
These new sanctions against Moscow include a new cap on the price of oil exported by Russia. This cap is currently set by the G7 and EU countries at $60 per barrel, and the European Commission has proposed to reduce it to $45. (July 15, 2025)
