EU ambassadors fail again to agree on 21st Russia sanctions package

The Committee of Permanent Representatives of the EU (Coreper) failed on 15 July to make a decision on adopting the EU's new, 21st package of sanctions against Russia and decided to freeze the price cap on Russian oil until 23 July while discussions continue.

Source: a European Pravda correspondent in Brussels, citing EU diplomats familiar with the developments

Details: The EU froze the price cap on Russian oil for a week while member states continue negotiations on the 21st package of sanctions against Russia.

"It was not possible to reach consensus on the 21st package of sanctions against Russia today, despite several attempts. Coreper decided to freeze the price cap on Russian oil for a week at its current level of US$44.1 per barrel while discussions continue," one of European Pravda sources said.

The source clarified that the price cap on Russian oil is currently frozen until 23 July.

Most diplomats hope consensus on the sanctions package can still be found by then.

Background:

• On 13 July, the EU foreign ministers failed to agree on approving the EU's 21st Russia sanctions package, but Kaja Kallas, the EU chief diplomat, said this can happen on 15 July.
• It was reported earlier that the EU's 21st package of sanctions against Russia must be approved by 15 July because of a deadline for reviewing the price cap on Russian oil.
• The package is currently being blocked by Greece, which has certain energy-related reservations about allowing the re-export of Russian liquefied gas to third countries, and Austria, which has reservations in the financial sphere.
• Bulgaria earlier threatened to block the 21st package, demanding that Patriarch Kirill be removed from the sanctions lists, and Italy later joined it. However, those objections have now been withdrawn after Kirill was removed from the lists.

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