There Is A Slovak Veto, The European Union Again Fails To Agree To A New Sanctions Package Against Russia

Illustration of the European Union. (Wikimedia Commons/Corentin B\"echade)

JAKARTA - The European Union failed for a second day to approve a new sanctions package against Russia on Wednesday, as Slovakia continues to seek concessions related to gas supply, four EU diplomats told Reuters.

Slovakia vetoed the sanctions approval at a meeting of ambassadors of EU countries, diplomats familiar with the talks said.

Apart from Slovakia, two diplomats said Malta had also objected.

The Slovak government said it would not approve the sanctions before its country received assurances that it would not be harmed by a separate EU plan to stop Russia's gas supply by the end of 2027.

The plan to stop the supply needs to be approved in the European Union by a strengthened majority of countries, meaning Slovakia itself cannot veto it. However, sanctions require unanimous votes.

"We consider this (graduate elimination of Russian energy) proposal a sanction and therefore it is natural to link it to the proposed sanction package," Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said in a letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen released by his office on Wednesday. July 17th.

"Therefore, we hope that voting for the 18th package can only be carried out after most of the risks in the gas supply sector starting in 2028 have been completed," he said.

The sanctions will be the 18th package of the European Union which is a similar measure against Russia over its full-scale invasion of Ukraine by 2022.

The Commission, the executive body of the European Union, has sought Slovakia's support Tuesday in a letter stating it will seek to address Slovakia's concerns.

PM Fico said in response that the negotiations must be continued to clarify the commitments that will be taken by the Commission.

Slovakia is known to continue to import Russian energy and is often pro-Russian towards Ukraine.

He argues that stopping Russia's gas supply could cause scarcity, raise prices and transit costs, and trigger compensation claims from Russian supplier Gazprom.

PM Fico said on Tuesday the best solution was an exception in stopping Russia's energy supply for Slovakia in order to fulfill its current contract until 2034.