The European Union will continue to work to ensure unanimity among member states necessary for the approval of sanctions packages against Russia, in particular the 18th. David O’Sullivan, the EU’s special representative on sanctions, said in an interview with Radio Liberty.
“Often when we propose sanctions, some member states want more. Others want less. We have always managed to reach unanimous agreement. The 17 packages we have agreed so far have been agreed unanimously. However, before coming to a final conclusion, the countries you mentioned said they could not agree,” the official said, commenting on Slovakia’s threats to veto the 18th package.
O’Sullivan noted that the European Commission consulted with member states before presenting the set of measures of the 18th package.
“But, of course, each country reserves the right to see what’s on paper before making a final decision. But I would express confidence that this 18th package will be adopted almost in the same form in which it was proposed,” the EU special envoy for sanctions emphasised.
The official also expressed optimism about the next extension of the previously imposed restrictions, which falls in July. Previous times Hungary tried to block these attempts.
“There is every chance that we will go ahead and get unanimous agreement on the extension of sanctions at the end of July, as we have always done in the past. I’m not saying it’s going to be easy. I’m not saying there won’t be some disagreements, but at the end of the day we’ve always managed to get that unanimous agreement,” O’Sullivan noted.
On 10 June, the European Commission presented proposals for the 18th package of sanctions, which include, among other things, a ban on transactions related to both Nord Streams, a ban on imports of oil products from Russian crude, and a reduction in the ceiling price of oil to $45 per barrel.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fitzo said on the same day that his country would not support the 18th package of sanctions “if the European Commission does not offer a real solution to the crisis situation in which Slovakia will find itself after a complete cut-off of gas, oil and nuclear fuel supplies from Russia”.