Hungary and Slovakia, as promised, block new EU sanctions against Russia ahead of summit

Hungary and Slovakia have refused to approve the European Union’s new 18th sanctions package against Russia until the European Council meeting, where EU leaders are expected to discuss further sanctions pressure on the Kremlin.

"Two delegations blocked the adoption of new sanctions against Russia until after the European Council meeting on 26 June," an EU diplomat familiar with the outcome of the EU Committee of Permanent Representatives (Coreper) meeting said to European Pravda correspondent in Brussels.

The diplomat specified that the delegations in question were from Slovakia and Hungary. As a result, the approval of the EU’s 18th sanctions package against Russia is currently stalled.

Another source stated that on 23 June, the European Commission presented its latest revisions of the sanctions package to the ambassadors from EU states, which still include a proposal to lower the price cap on Russian oil.

"Some delegations, the more outspoken ones, want to remove the proposal to lower the oil price cap due to the current state of the global oil market, while others want to retain it. Nevertheless, we are very close to an agreement," the sourse added.

The diplomat expressed hope that the remaining issues would be resolved and the final text submitted for Coreper’s approval by Friday 27 June.

Earlier, European Pravda reported that the EU would not unilaterally reduce the price cap on Russian oil from US$60 to US$45 per barrel, as this initiative was not supported by the Group of Seven.

It is worth noting that Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó has confirmed that Hungary and Slovakia have agreed not to support the EU’s plan for the 18th sanctions package against Russia.